


For Those in Her Heart

by Klainelover1997



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-06
Updated: 2020-01-10
Packaged: 2020-04-11 11:31:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 36
Words: 110,094
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19108795
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Klainelover1997/pseuds/Klainelover1997
Summary: Set during Season 5 after everyone returns from Hell Robin and Regina must go on with their lives after enduring a tragedy. However, they don't have time to dwell in sadness because they have a family to take care of.





	1. The Ultimate Sacrifice

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone! This time I'm back with an Outlaw Queen (Robin/Regina) fanfiction. This is set during season 5 right when everyone gets back from the Underworld. This fic will be canon divergent. I'm pretty much obsessed with Regina and Robin just being a normal family so this is going to be a bunch of drabbles/one-shots about cute, heartfelt, funny family moments. It starts a little sad, just to set the scene, but I promise there will be fluff as well! I hope that you all enjoy!

After narrowly escaping the Underworld, Regina and Robin knew that they needed to get Robin’s daughter back from Hades and Zelena. Regina felt like a fool for trusting her sister with the baby. She should have realized by now that people don’t change. After finding out that Hades and Zelena were locked inside the town hall, Regina suggested that they take the underground tunnels so they’d have the upper hand in their little sneak attack. 

“Welcome to Town hall,” Regina said as she and Robin walked through the tunnel. 

“Secret passage indeed,” Robin agreed. “Thank you, Regina.” 

“You’re welcome,” She hesitated and took a deep breath. “And, I know you can’t accept this right now, but I do feel horrible for what I did. I’m sorry Zelena has your daughter and I’m really trying to make up for it,” she added, her eyes getting a bit misty. 

“You’re right,” Robin began. “We do owe Zelena another chance.” That was not what Regina had expected him to say. 

“Oh, don’t just say that to appease me.” 

“No, I’m not,” Robin interjected immediately. “If being with you has taught me anything, it’s that we all have the capability to change. And, the future’s not written by our past. Regina, you are my future.” Robin reached out and brushed his thumb against her cheek, which made Regina smile. Before she knew it, Robin leaned in and kissed her passionately. 

After pulling away, she smirked at him. “Okay, thief,” she said with a laugh. “Tell me what the plan is.” 

“Well, I always follow one rule,” Robin began. “Don’t go into a job without a good plan to get out, but with my daughter on the line, I have broken my own rule. I-I have no plan. So if you want to turn back…” Regina didn’t give him a chance to finish that statement before she shook her head and started to speak. 

“I’m with you,” she told him. “Always,” 

“Good. Well then, let’s go save my daughter,” The two journeyed further until they made it to a staircase that Regina knew would lead them upstairs to her office. They climbed up the stairs quietly, not wanting to give Hades or Zelena any notice that they were there. Once they got upstairs, Regina and Robin stood on either side of the office door and waited for the precise moment to strike. They watched as Hades used his magic to mend the Olympian Crystal. 

“Whole again,” Hades exclaimed as he held the restored crystal in his hands. “There. At last.” 

“”Maybe we should just take this and leave Storybrooke,” Zelena suggested. “We’ll live somewhere else where we don’t have to fight anyone.” 

Hades sighed. “Zelena, they will hunt us wherever we go. The only way to be safe is to be strong.” Regina scoffed. 

“I really hate him,” she growled quietly to Robin. Regina could see that Hades was manipulating her sister. Even though she was mad at Zelena for taking Robin’s daughter, she knew that her sister deserved someone who truly loved her, not someone who was just using her for his own gain. Maybe it was the Charmings’ rubbing off on her, but Regina felt compelled to not only save Robin’s daughter, but to save Regina as well. 

“I can see my daughter,” Robin said suddenly, pulling Regina from her thoughts. “We need a distraction.” Suddenly, the lights began to flicker and the notable sound of electricity crackling echoed through the mayor’s office. 

“My protection spell,” Zelena said “Someone’s trying to break in.” 

“What did I tell you! They’re coming for us,” Hades reported as Zelena peeked out of the window. 

“It’s Emma Swan,” Zelena groaned. “Mummy will be right back as soon as I make sure you’re safe,” she cooed to the baby in her arms before setting in her the basket on the table. 

“I’ll check who else is creeping in,” Hades added. “One thing I know about these people, they never work alone. Be careful.” 

“You too,” Zelena answered before heading out to the front of Town Hall to confront Emma. Seeing that Zelena was coming, Regina hurried to the other side of the door as she tried to stay hidden. Robin and Regina stayed quiet as they waited for Hades to leave the office and go look for them presumably. 

“Who needs a plan when you got blind luck on your side,” Robin said with a laugh. before heading into the office and picking his daughter up out of the basket on the table. “Your father’s here and everything’s going to be alright.” 

“I wouldn’t be so sure” came a voice from behind them. Hades had returned. After seeing who it was, Robin turned and put the baby down. 

“You stay away from my daughter,” he threatened. 

“Believe me. She’s not the one who’s in danger,” Hades replied before point the crystal at Regina. 

“Hades, stop! This isn’t worth it,” Regina said sternly. “If you kill me, you will will lose Zelena forever.” 

“Maybe you’re right,” Hades replied, a devilish smile on his face. “You may not be the one I need to kill.” He turned his attention to Robin. “I can tell her that it was self defense. You came at me while I was doing everything in my power to save her daughter. I’ll tell her that it was an accident and she’ll believe me because I have her wrapped around my little finger.” 

“Is that so?” came a voice from the doorway. 

“Zelena!” Hades exclaimed, evident shock present in his voice. 

“I really wanted to believe that you could change,” Zelena said angrily. “But, I can see things clearly now. You’ll never change because the only person that you care about is yourself.” 

“Regina, you were right,” Zelena amended. “I’m sorry that I didn’t listen to you.” Regina gave her sister a kind smile and reached her hand out to grab Zelena’s. 

“Fine, have it your way then,” Hades snarled. “I will have my power. I won’t allow any of you to get in my way. If you don’t want to join, I’ll make sure that you pay along with the rest of these heroes.” Hades walked closer and pointed the Olympian Crystal in Regina’s face. Regina began to breathe heavily even though she was trying to appear composed. “First, I’ll kill your sister and then her true love. I’ll top it off my killing your daughter. I’ll make you wish that you never sided with them,” He explained, his words coming out and hitting Zelena’s soul like venom. “So Regina, shall we begin?” Hades began to charge up the crystal and got ready to fire it. Just as he sent out a bolt of electricity,Zelena screamed, “No!” and dove in front of Regina. The electricity flowed through her body and Regina watched as the life left her sister’s eyes. Even Hades looked surprised. Clearly, he hadn’t expected Zelena to do that. 

“No…Zelena,” He said breathlessly as her body collapsed to the ground. Robin saw that moment as his opportunity to strike and tackled Hades to the ground. The Olympian Crystal went flying and Regina ran after it. She grabbed it and ran back over to where Hades and Robin were fighting on the ground.” 

“This is for my sister!” Regina cried as she plunged the crystal into Hades’ chest. They both watched as Hades exploded into a mess of electricity and then faded into nothingness. After Hades had disappeared, Regina rushed back to her sister’s body. She pulled Zelena’s head onto her lap and cried over her body. 

“Regina, I am so sorry,” Robin said quietly as he knelt down next to Regina with the baby in his arms. 

“I can’t believe she did that for me,” Regina sobbed. “She saved me but I can’t save her.” 

“She will not die in vain,” Robin assured her. “We’ll make sure that her sacrifice was worth it. Her daughter will know what she did for her.” Regina nodded, but she couldn’t look at Robin or the baby. All she could think about was how her sister was gone and she was never coming back.They had just started getting closer and now there was no chance of ever growing that relationship any further. With no other option but to move on, Regina allowed Robin to help her up. There was no time to grieve. They had a funeral to plan and a new baby to take care of. From that point on, both Regina and Robin knew that their lives were about to change forever. 


	2. In Her Eyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Regina has a hard time in the weeks following Zelena's death and Robin is super sleep deprived with the new baby in the house.

It had been two weeks since they defeated Hades and Zelena had given up her life to save Regina. During that time, they had Zelena’s funeral. Unfortunately, only a few people attended. Even though her death had resulted from a selfless act of love, many people still viewed Zelena as a villain. However, in Regina and Robin’s eyes, Zelena had redeemed herself. The last two weeks had been a whirlwind of sadness and grief for Regina who was still trying to process her emotions. It had also been rough for Robin, Henry, and Roland because they were having to adapt to a newborn living in the house. 

“Papa, why does she only sleep during the day?” Roland complained as he ate his cereal at the kitchen counter. The little boy waited for an answer but his father was fast asleep leaning against the counter. “Papa!” Roland yelled impatiently. 

“What? Is it the baby? Is she crying?” Robin stammered, his eyes darting around the room wildly as he tried to pinpoint where the sound that had woken him up was coming from. 

“No, Papa, she’s fine,” Roland replied. “I think you need some sleep,” he added as he looked his father over. Robin looked terrible. There were dark bags under both of his eyes that seemed to have taken up a permanent residence on his face. 

“I would love nothing more than to sleep, buddy,” Robin replied with a yawn. “However, I don’t think that’s going to happen. Your sister needs my attention.” 

“Can Regina help you so you can take a nap?” the little boy asked innocently. 

“I-uhh…” Robin hesitated. He didn’t know what to tell his son. Since Zelena’s funeral, Regina had been getting increasingly distant. She had promised that she would be by his side no matter, but over the past two weeks, Robin felt very alone. He understood that Regina was grieving and just needed time to sort through her feeling, but it was getting difficult to manage everything on his own. Having a newborn was always difficult, but this baby seemed determined to make his life miserable and to top it off she had virtually decided that she was nocturnal. Robin tried everything he could think of to calm her down. He fed her, changed her diaper, rocked her and even walked all around the house bouncing her in his arms. Nothing seemed to work. If he was being honest, Robin was getting close to his breaking point. 

With his eyes half open, Robin heard the sound of Regina’s high heels clicking down the hallway into the kitchen. “Good morning!” she announced. She pressed a quick kiss to Robin’s forehead before heading over to the coffee maker and pouring some into her travel mug. “Roland, honey, go and grab your backpack and I’ll drop you off at school.” The little boy nodded, hopped off the barstool and placed his cereal bowl in the sink before heading into the living room to grab his backpack. “Don’t forget we have Neal’s first birthday party tonight,” Regina added. 

“Yes, of course,” Robin replied. “I’ll be there with the baby.” Regina gave him a nod before ushering Roland out of the door. As if on cue, the baby began to wail. Robin groaned and drug his tired body over to the baby swing that his daughter had been sleeping in. 

“Please sweetheart, you need to sleep.” Robin pleaded. “Daddy needs to sleep too.” The baby continued to wail. Each shriek sounded nails on a chalkboard to Robin. “I suppose maybe if you had a name, you’d be a happier girl,” he said as he shifted the baby up onto his shoulder and bounced her up and down. “I really want some input from Regina but she’s a little out of sorts right now. I know deep down that she loves you. She just having a hard time right now.”Seeing that the bouncing wasn’t helping, Robin padded into the kitchen and mixed up a bottle of formula to try and soothe his crying daughter. He popped the nipple in her mouth and finally, the crying ceased and she began to suck rhythmically. Robin let out a sigh of relief and collapsed back onto the sofa. As the baby sucked happily on her bottle, her eyelids started to flutter closed and eventually she fell asleep. Robin hoped that he too would be able to get in a nap before the next feeding time came around. 

Across town, the workday passed by quickly for Regina. Before she knew it, it was time to make her way over to Granny’s for Neal’s first birthday party. She didn’t really want to go but she knew that Snow would be hurt if she didn’t attend. If she was being honest, Regina just didn’t feel like herself anymore. Zelena’s death shouldn’t have hit her as hard as it did considering their history together, but it had. Regina really wanted to try and forget about the whole thing but she couldn’t because of a small, crying baby that was currently residing in her home. Regina felt bad about not helping Robin. She knew that he was struggling with the baby by himself, but Regina just couldn’t bring herself to interact with the little girl. It was just too soon. 

After finishing up her paperwork, Regina grabbed her jacket and walked down the street to Granny’s. The restaurant was decorated with blue streamers and balloons. Across the room, Snow was holding Neal, who was dressed in a white onesie with the number one on it and a blue party hat. 

“Regina! You made it!” Snow explained when she saw her stepmother walk into the restaurant. 

“I did,” Regina replied with a half smile, trying to fake some degree of enthusiasm. “Happy Birthday little guy,” she said. The little boy smiled and let out a stream of drool before reaching for Regina. 

“Oh, you want to go see Regina?” Snow cooed before handing the baby over. Once in Regina’s arms, Neal began to smile. His toothy grin was just too adorable. Regina couldn’t contain her own smile.Snow smiled as well. It was nice to see Regina like this. She had seen how sad the woman had been over the past two weeks. She had never thought that after all they’d been through that she’d be handing her baby so readily to Regina. They truly had come a long way over the years. 

Suddenly, the sound of the bells on the front door echoed throughout the restaurant and Robin walked in with the baby carrier.Regina was the first thing that Robin spotted as he walked into the party. His heart broke a little bit as he watched Regina make Neal giggle. He desperately wanted to see Regina like this with his own little girl. 

“Robin!” Snow said as she walked over to greet him. “Thank you so much for coming! Regina’s just over there with Neal. I can’t believe how great she is with him.” 

“Yeah, neither can I,” Robin replied quietly. 

“Let me see this little peanut! Can I hold her?” Snow cooed. Robin nodded and set the carrier down on the town and allowed Snow to unbuckled the tiny little girl from her seat. Snow cuddled the baby against her chest and gently rocked her in her arms. “They grow so fast. It’s hard for me to believe that Neal was ever this little. He weighs a ton now.” She laughed. “You and Regina should savor this time. It goes by so fast.” Robin only nodded once more, knowing that he and Regina were definitely not on the same page when it came to his daughter.The rest of the night passed by in a blur. It was filled with food, presents and an extremely cute cake moment that ended with Neal smearing cake all over himself, even in his hair. Robin had tried to get Regina to hold the baby at one point during the night, but she claimed that she had to go and speak with someone across the room. Luckily for Robin, Snow happily obliged and help the little girl for most of the night. 

At the end of the night. Robin, Regina, Roland, and the baby made their way home. Henry still had room at the mayor’s mansion, but he had taken to spending the night at Emma and Hooks because it was easier to get a good night’s sleep without all of the crying. 

“Alright, up to bed, my little knight,” Regina said to Roland as soon as they got in the door. “It is way past your bedtime.” Before Robin could even get a word out, Regina and Roland had disappeared upstairs. He let out a sigh before unbuckling the baby out of her car seat. He knew that she needed to be fed and changed before he could even think about going to bed himself. After practically two hours and a lot of screaming from his daughter, Robin finally got to join Regina in bed. As soon as his head hit the pillow, Robin fell into a deep sleep. 

Around two o’clock in the morning, Regina woke up to the noise of the baby crying. “Robin,” she said as she nudged the man next to her. Robin, who was clearly still in a deep sleep, didn’t even flinch. Regina did feel bad. He was clearly exhausted. The baby’s shrill cries continued to echo through the whole house and Regina didn’t want the baby to wake up Roland as well so she got out of bed and padded down the hallway into the nursery. 

“Okay, shh shh, it’s okay,” Regina coxed as she lifted the baby out of the crib and into her arms. The baby’s little face was bright red and she wailed relentlessly. Regina checked the baby’s diaper and was shocked to see that it was dry. She tried to give her a bottle but the little girl simply pushed it out of her mouth and continued to scream. “Please!” she begged. “Please just tell me what you want.” Regina adjusted the little girl in her arms so that her eyes met the baby’s. In that moment,something. Though the little girl looked a lot like Robin, her eyes were all Zelena. Regina felt her own eyes well up with tears. 

“I’m sorry,” she cried. “I know I shouldn’t be the one holding you. I know I’m not the one that you want. I’m not your mommy.” She pressed the infant up against her chest and almost instantly the little girl's shrieks turned to whimpers. The sound of Regina’s heartbeat was enough to lull the little one back to sleep. Completely shocked by how fast the little girl quieted, Regina decided to take a seat in the rocking chair and take in the moment. The tears continued to stream down her face. Her grief and unresolved emotions over this little girl were all hitting her at once. Too caught up in her feelings, Regina didn’t even hear Robin’s footstep’s as he walked into the nursery. 

“Regina?” he asked quietly, clearly concerned to see that she was sobbing. 

“I’m so sorry, Robin,” Regina cried. Robin leaned down and took Regina and his daughter into her arms. 

“It’s alright,” He replied softly, trying to calm Regina down.

“It’s not,” Regina said. “I said that I was with you no matter what but I haven’t been. You’ve been doing this all alone.” 

“You needed time…” Robin began. 

“I did, but that’s no excuse.” the woman replied. “I just couldn’t look at her. It was too painful. I thought that staying away from her would make it easier to process but it didn’t. Then, I looked down at her little face and saw her eyes…they’re just like Zelena’s.I realized that she wouldn’t want me to ignore her little girl. She’d want me to be a part of her life and love her because she wasn’t able to. 

“She absolutely would,” Robin agreed as he wiped a few stray tears from Regina’s cheeks. “I love you both so much.” 

“I love you too,” Regina said with a smile. “I think this little girl has gone long enough without a name. Don’t you think?” 

“Well, I’m open to suggestions. I’ve been stumped by what to name her since she was born.” 

“She’s your daughter. You should pick her name.” Regina told him. 

“This is our future,” Robin replied as he took her hand into his own. “…and she is our daughter. You may not be her biological mother but you are her mother now. She’s yours just as much as she is mine.” 

“Okay, can I suggest a first name then?” Regina asked. Robin nodded. “Adalyn?” 

“Adalyn?” Robin questioned. “Hmm…I like it.” As if on cue, the baby let out a gurgle of happiness and smiled in her sleep. “I think she likes it as well. And, I think I have the perfect middle name. How about Adalyn Zelena Locksley?” 

“It’s perfect. Zelena would love it.” Regina replied. “You finally have a name little one,” she cooed as she leaned down a pressed a kiss to the baby’s forehead. Though she hadn’t been able to save her sister, Regina knew that she was going to make her proud and raise her daughter. She would make sure that Adalyn would be an independent, fierce woman just like her mother was. She would also make sure that Adalyn knew about Zelena and how much she loved her. Luckily for Regina, Zelena would live on in her heart and in the eyes of little Adalyn. 


	3. Nobody Messes With My Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Henry takes care of some bullies picking on his little brother

 

Being a big brother wasn’t a role that Henry ever through he’d take on. For most of his childhood, it had just been him and his mom. He had fond memories of his childhood. However, as Henry got older, he wished for a playmate that was his own age. When Robin and Roland first moved in, Henry was hesitant at first. he wanted his mom to be happy but adjusting to living with her boyfriend and his six year old was a big change. Almost immediately, it was clear to Henry that Roland was determined to become his shadow. The little boy was absolutely obsessed with him and worshipped the very ground that he walked on. At first, it was a bit annoying having a six-year-old follow him around constantly, but eventually, Henry got used to it. he never expected to get as protective of the little boy as he did. 

One day at school, Henry walked out to the courtyard during lunch and saw Roland surrounded by a bounce of the older kids. Almost instantly, his big brother instincts kicked in and he knew that something wasn’t right. 

“Oh look! He’s crying! What a baby!” One of the kids exclaimed as he pointed at Roland. Henry recognized him and thought that his name was Jacob. 

“I’m not a baby!” Roland yelled back, tear streaming down his cheeks. 

“Is there a problem here?” Henry asked as he approached the older kids. 

“None of your business!” Jacob spat out. “Why don’t you get lost and go write your little stories.” 

“It is my business if you’re making my little brother cry,” Henry retorted as he placed himself between Roland and the other children. 

“He’s not your real brother. Your whole family is made up of freaks. You have an Evil Queen for a mother and a thief for a stepfather. Don’t even get me started about your mistake of a sister.” 

“Why don’t you just shut up!” Henry yelled as the anger started to bubble in her chest. “You don’t know anything about me or my family.” 

“I know that you’re all a bunch of freaks. We’d all be better off if this town had taken your mom out when we had the chance.” At that moment, Henry saw red. No one got to talk about his family this way, especially this little punk. Without even thinking, Henry pushed Jacob hard on the shoulders and knocked him to the ground. It was then that the other two boys rush in on Henry and started fighting him. Henry tried his best but he was far outnumbered. Knowing that he had to help his brother, Roland took off and found two teachers, who instantly ran in to break up the fight. After separating the boys, it was clear that some damage had been done. Henry had a split lip that was already beginning to swell up and scratches on his arms. one of the other boys had blood dripping from his nose from a punch that Henry had landed. All four boys and Roland were escorted to the principal’s office to wait for their parents to pick them up. 

The two boys who had charged at Henry after he pushed Jacob were picked up first. Then Jacob’s father arrived. Henry recognized him as well. Back in the Enchanted Forest, he had been called Gaston and he did not have a very kind reputation. Henry understood now where his son got his arrogant personality. he watched as Jacob made his way int the office with his dad. There was quite a bit of yelling before they emerged again. Henry could only hope that he got what he deserved for bullying Roland. 

Regina was last to arrive. She practically flew in the front door of the school, Adalyn situated on her hip. “Henry! Roland! What happened?” 

“Mom, I can explain,” Henry began. As she got closer, she took one look at his face and Henry could see the anger in her eyes. 

“Your lip! Who did this?” Regina demanded to know. 

“Mayor Mills, we can speak about this matter in my office,” the principal interjected. 

“Oh, we’re going to speak about it.” Regina retorted as she boosted the baby further up on her hip. “My son is injured and I demand that whoever is responsible is dealt with accordingly.” 

“Mayor Mills, from what I’ve been told Henry was the one who started the fight.” 

“That’s not true!” Henry exclaimed. “Jacob and his two idiot friends were bullying Roland and I was just getting them to stop.” 

“That other boys told me that you pushed Jacob first. is that true?” the principal asked. 

“Well, technically, yes…” Henry replied. 

“We have a very strict no violence policy.” 

“Wait,” Regina began. “Henry, you said that those boys were bullying Roland. Don’t you have a no bullying policy?” 

“Kids will be kids, but we draw the line at violence.” the principal replied bluntly. 

“So, you’re telling me that other kids can say nasty things to my children and nothing happens to them, but my son stands up for his brother and he’s being punished!” Regina retorted. “Henry, take your sister and go sit in the hallway with Roland. I’ll be out in a minute.” Henry nodded. He knew not to mess with his mom when she was this angry.

“Did you get in trouble?” Roland asked as Henry walked into the hallways with Addy. 

“Yeah,” Henry replied. “But, it’s okay.” 

“I’m sorry that I got you in trouble,” Roland replied sadly. 

“Roland, it is not your fault,” Henry told him. “No one gets to bully my little brother and get away with it. I shouldn’t have pushed that boy though. Violence is never the answer. Do you understand?” he asked Roland. The little boy nodded. 

“Was what Jacob said Mama true?” Roland asked. “Was she really evil?” Henry sighed. 

“She did some bad things when she was younger but she’s changed since then. She’s not evil anymore,” Henry told him. “And, we are family no matter what anyone says. What did those boys say to you before I came over?” 

“They were saying that you and Mama weren’t my real family and that Mama couldn’t love me because I wasn’t her real kid.” 

“You know that isn’t true right,” Henry replied. “Mom isn’t my biological mother either. Emma is my biological mom. I know that they both love me. It’s the same with you. Your biological mom is in Heaven but my mom loves you just as much.” 

“Does she love Addy too?” Roland asked. 

“Of course she does,” Henry replied. “I mean look at this little face. What’s not to love?” Instantly, Addy’s face lit up and she reached her little hands up to touch Henry’s face. Suddenly, they heard yelling coming from the principal’s office. 

“Is Mama mad?” Roland asked. 

“Definitely,” Henry replied with a laugh. 

“Do you think she’s gonna light Mr. green on fire with a fireball?” 

“If we’re lucky!” Henry laughed, patting his brother on the shoulder. Within a few minutes, Regina came out of the office, her cheeks red from anger. 

“Am I suspended?” Henry asked. 

“No,” Regina replied. “But we are going home for the rest of the day. And if I ever hear about you fighting again Henry, there will be consequences. Understood?” 

“Understood,” Henry replied. 

“Good. Now let’s go home,” Regina said. She took Addy from Henry’s arms and the four of them made their way towards the car. Henry knew that what he had done was wrong but deep down he didn’t regret it for a minute. No one messed with his family and Robin, Roland, and Addy were a part of that family. If he had learned anything over the past few years, it was that his family was composed of heroes of all shapes and sizes. He knew they would always overcome the villains trying to bring them down because they had each others' love and support to lean on. 


	4. Little League

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roland decides to give Little League a try and Robin decides to be his coach.

Ever since things had calmed down in Storybrooke, Regina and Robin had been trying to live normal lives. However, for Roland, living in a mansion and going to a normal school was anything but ordinary. He had been the only child among the Merry Men and any education that he had gotten, he learned from them. That being said, it had been a little challenging for Roland to make friends his own age. 

“I’m worried about him,” Regina said to Robin.

“He’s fine, love,” Robin replied. “Roland is one of the happiest children that I know.” 

“I know he’s happy but he still doesn’t have any friends his own age. I think we should get him involved with some kind of sport or activity,” she suggested. 

“That may be a good idea.” Robin agreed. “We can ask him about what he wants to do tomorrow.” The next night at dinner, they brought the topic up to Roland and were surprised when he instantly told them that he wanted to play baseball. 

“A bunch of kids play it at recess but I don’t know how to play,” Roland told them. 

“Well, I think that can be arranged,” Regina replied. “The little league season is just starting. I think they’re still letting kids sign up. Papa can take you tomorrow.” 

“Really? Will you Papa?” The little boy exclaimed with excitement. 

“Of course, my boy,” Robin replied with a smile. The next day what at the office, Regina got a pair of unexpected visitors. Roland ran into the office with a huge smile on his face and a new baseball uniform on his little body.The uniform was complete with a set of cleats, bright white baseball pants and a royal blue jersey that read Granny’s on the back. 

“I didn’t know granny was sponsoring a team this year,” Regina said with a laugh. 

“Do you like my uniform, Mama?” Roland asked. Regina nodded with a smile. “Daddy even got me a glove!” 

“Well, that’s good,” Regina told him. “I don’t know much about baseball but a glove seems very important to the sport. 

“Wait! The best part isn’t here yet!” Roland told her. 

“And what would that be?” Regina asked. As if on cue, Robin walked into her office dressed in his own royal blue shirt that said coach on the back of it. “You’re coaching the team?” 

“Yes I am,” Robin replied proudly. 

“Robin…honey, you don’t know anything about baseball,” Regina said hesitantly. 

“Well, how hard can it be to learn?” Robin replied. “We stopped at the library and Belle helped me find this,” he added showing her a book entitled “Baseball for Dummies.” Regina couldn’t help but laugh. “I figured I could use a hobby as well.” 

“Alright love,” Replied replied. “When’s the first game?” 

“Next Sunday,” Robin replied excitedly. From that day on, Robin and Roland spent much of the next week at practice with the other boys preparing for their first game. When Sunday finally came, Regina felt nervous for both Roland and Robin. She packed the car with a large blanket and baby necessities for Addy. Then, Regina, Henry, and Addy piled into the car to get to the game. When they got there, Emma, Hook and the rest of the Charmings were waiting for them. 

“You guys came!” Regina exclaimed. 

“We wouldn’t miss Roland’s first game,” Snow replied with a smile as she repositioned Neal on her hip. 

“I certainly wasn’t going to miss Robin’s coaching debut,” Hook replied smugly. 

“And what do you know about baseball, pirate?” Regina quipped. 

“Not much, but I know what my strengths are,” Hook replied. “I also know that this is going to be quite comical.” Regina simply rolled her eyes. With Henry’s help, she laid out the blanket and took a seat next to Snow. They set the babies down on the blanket in front of them and both infants seemed content to just sit and play with their toys. 

“I can’t believe how big Addy is getting,” Snow remarked. 

“I know. She was four months old on Friday,” Regina told her. “Time sure does by fast,” she added as she looked down at the little girl in front of her. She was just starting to get some patches of dirty blonde hair and her eyes still look exactly like Zelena’s. She was even starting coo and smile when you interacted with her. 

Within a few minutes, the game began. Robin ran out onto the field with Roland and eight other six-year-olds. Everyone couldn’t help but laugh as he tried to corral all the kids and get them to where they were supposed to be to start the game. It didn’t take long for everyone in the crowd to realize that none of the children, nor Robin truly knew what they were doing. The first little boy up to bat hit the ball and everyone cheered. However, the little boy didn’t really understand which base he was supposed to go to and ended up running to third base instead of first. Needless to say, that was the team’s first out of the inning. The second kid up to bat hit the baseball off the tee but he wasn’t very keen on running. Robin tried to coax him into running to first base, but nothing was working. Eventually, Robin ran over and lifted the little boy up by his armpits and ran to first base with him instead. Regina just hid her face in her hands. 

“We’re going to have to leave Storybrooke. There’s no coming back from this,” she said. “What do you think of Boston, Addy? Should we live there after Papa’s done making a fool of himself?” The little girl smiled and reached for her mother’s face. “I’ll take that as a yes.” 

After a few more kids got to bat, it was finally Roland’s turn. “Go, Roland!” Everyone cheered from the sideline. He looked so little in his uniform and batting helmet as he held the gigantic bat. His first swing went all the way through but missed the ball.

“That’s okay, baddy! Keep your eye on the ball!” Regina yelled from the sideline. Roland looked confused for a moment and seemed to be really thinking about what his mother was saying. Then, he set the bat down and leaned in close until his eye was literally on the little white ball. No one could contain their laughter then. It was just too cute. Hook was practically doubled over laughing. 

“Who needs major league baseball when little league is so much funnier,” Henry replied. They endured five more innings of this and each inning got a little bit better because the kids understood the game a little more. In the final inning, the score was 2 to 1. After the way they played, it was a miracle that either team even got a run. Roland’s team was in the field and they had two outs. 

“Alright boys, let’s finish the game here. one more out and we win!” Robin yelled from the dugout. 

“Next batter!” The umpire called. The largest kid from the other team came up to bat. He had been responsible for the one run for the other team. He could tie up the game right there. 

“This doesn’t look good,” Henry said to his mom. As the kid came up to bat, the pitcher threw the first ball and it happened to be a strike. Everyone cheered. Then, the second ball crossed the plate. Another strike.

“Wow, they may actually do it. They may win!” Regina exclaimed. However, on the third pitched, they heard the sound of the ball hitting the wooden bat. It went flying out into the outfield, right above where Roland was standing. “Oh god, please let him catch it.” The little boy looked panicked. He began to run backward in an attempt to try and catch the ball. However, he ran into a problem. His shoelace was untied. Roland tripped and fell backward onto the ground and the entire crowd gasped. Suddenly, the ball came plummeting down to the ground and just happened to land in the web of Roland’s glove. All the boys and Robin began to cheer and ran out to Roland in the outfield. He had done it! Roland had won the game for his team! 

“Oh my god! He did it! He actually caught it!” Regina exclaimed as she stood up with Addy and cheered. Henry and the rest of the Charmings stood up as well and cheered for the team. 

“Well, I’ll be damned,” Hook laughed. “That Robin is a lucky man.” After all the kids packed up their stuff, Roland came running over to Regina. 

“Did you see it, Mama?” Did you? I caught the ball and won the game!” he exclaimed. 

“Of course, I did,” Regina replied as she pulled him into her arms. “I am so proud of you!” she added as she pressed a kiss to his forehead. Robin walked over shortly after. 

“Great game, Coach,” David said as he extended his hand for a handshake with Robin. 

“It wasn’t the smoothest of games, but we got there,” Robin replied with a laugh.

“I think now it’s time to celebrate,” Snow exclaimed. 

“Can we go get ice cream? Please!” Roland begged. Normally, Regina and Robin wouldn’t give in so easily considering that Roland asked for ice cream practically every day. However, today was a special day so they both replied with “sure,” which set the little boy into cheers of excitement. Together, the two families made their way to Granny’s to get some celebratory ice cream. 

So, is being a coach all that you thought it would be?” Regina asked Robin. 

“I have to say, it is much more difficult to corral nine six year olds than I thought it would be,” he amended. 

“And just think, you have a full season left to go,” 

“God help me,” Robin groaned. he knew that both he and the kids had a lot of learning to do, but it would sure be quite the experience. 


	5. Mom's Don't Get Sick Days

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Illness plagues the Locksley-Mills Household and it's up to Regina to take care of her family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love sick fics so this chapter is a bit longer than the others. Enjoy!

The Locksley-Mills family couldn’t seem to catch a break. For the past two weeks, illness had plagued their household. It all started with Roland who came down with a bad head cold. Regina had fawned over him all day in an attempt to make him feel better.  Henry was the next one to catch the virus. He had always been a tad bit dramatic when he was sick, so this virus was no different. He moaned on the couch and acted like a baby.However, it was anything that Regina couldn’t handle. She had been dealing with her son’s sick time antics since he was a baby and had it down to a science on how to make him feel better. Robin was next. He had caught the virus caring for Roland. Regina could only laugh when she looked at Robin’s pitiful form on the couch. His dramatics rivaled Henry’s. Regina tried to keep Addy away from all the boys so she wouldn’t get sick, but the virus was persistent and Addy was the next to fall ill. 

The poor little girl was miserable. She was so congested and cried relentlessly, which only made her congestion worse. During that time, she was permanently attached to Regina’s hip. Both she and Robin had assumed that the little girl would end up being a Daddy’s girl. However, they were both wrong. Addy was very attached to Regina. When she was fussy, Regina singing softly to her was the only thing that could calm her down. Regina was the only one who could ever get Addy to sleep. However, because of this cold, even Regina was having a hard time getting the little girl to feel comfortable. She had been bouncing Addy and walking around the house for hours and nothing seemed to help. 

“Would you like me to try, love?” Robin asked. 

“She’ll only cry harder. It has to be me,” Regina said with a sigh. She wanted nothing more than to hand the baby off to Robin and let him try to get her to sleep. However, this wasn’t Regina’s first rodeo. She knew Addy and she knew that she wasn’t going to fall asleep for anyone but her. 

“I know. I just feel bad,” Robin told her, his voice still nasally due to his lingering congestion. “You’ve been so busy taking care of all of us. You’ve barely gotten any sleep yourself. You must be exhausted.” Regina shrugged her shoulders. 

“Mom’s don’t get sick days,” She replied. “I’m tired, but I can manage,” she added as she continued to rock Addy, whose cries were becoming soft whimpers. “Besides, you still look like you feel pretty bad. Why don’t you go lie down with the boys? I think they’re in the living room watching a movie.” 

“Alright,” Robin finally agreed. “If you need anything, just let me know.” Regina nodded. She wandering into Addy’s nursery and sat down in the rocking chair. The little girl began to whimper again and Regina was quick to shush her. 

“Shh shh, it’s okay baby girl,” Regina cooed. “I know, you feel yucky.” She watched as Addy’s nose scrunched up and she let out a series of three sneezes right on to her mother’s face. “Well, bless you, ” Regina said. After a while, Addy finally closed her eyes and fell asleep. Regina got up slowly and attempted to place Addy down in her crib. The transfer was always the hardest so Regina was praying that she’d stay asleep. She set the little girl down on the mattress and she stirred a little bit but remained asleep. Regina let out a sigh of relief before tiptoeing out of the nursery and heading towards the living room to join the boys. 

“What are you guys watching?” she asked. 

“Frozen...for the second time,” Henry replied dryly. “Roland insisted on it.” 

“It’s a good movie!” Roland protested. 

“Whatever, I’m going to head to bed,” Henry replied. When he walked past Regina, she placed a hand on his forehead. 

“Well, I think your fever is gone,” Regina replied. “How are you feeling?” 

“Just tired. And, I still can’t stop sneezing, but overall better,” Henry told her. 

“Alright. Probably one more day home from school for you.” Regina told him. Henry just nodded and coughed into his elbow before lumbering down the hallway. 

“Mama, can you come cuddle with me?” Roland asked. 

“Of course, my love,” Regina replied. She squeezed in between Robin and Roland and Roland practically climbed into her lap. Regina was relieved when his skin also felt a normal temperature. 

“How do you feel?” Regina asked Robin. 

“I’m okay,” Robin told her. “I’m sure by tomorrow, I’ll be back to normal. Colds don’t hit adults as hard as they do children.” 

“True,” Regina agreed. “Do you think you’ll be able to watch the kids tomorrow? I haven’t been in to the office for the past three days and I really need to try to get some work done.” 

“Of course love, I can handle it,” Robin told her. “Besides, you deserve a break after taking care of all of us for three days.” The three of them laid on the couch until the end of the movie. As the credits played, Regina looked down at her son who was fast asleep in her embrace. He was snoring slightly from the congestion in his nose. “Do you want me to take him?” Robin asked. 

“No, I’ve got him,” Regina replied. She stood up with the six year old, his head resting on her shoulder and took him to his bedroom. She laid him down gently and tucked him in. “Goodnight my little knight,” she added while pressing a kiss to his forehead. 

After checking on Henry and Addy one last time, Regina changed into her pajamas and climbed into bed with Robin. The past few days, they had tried sleeping apart because Robin really did not want to get her sick, but Regina couldn’t sleep when she wasn’t cuddled in Robin’s embrace. Not wanting to be away from him any longer, Regina nestled her body into his side and lifted his arm so it was around her. “Love, you’re gonna get sick,” Robin muttered hoarsely.  

“Don’t care. I’ll probably be getting it anyway,” Regina mumbled. “I want to sleep with you.” Robin knew not to fight with her so they stayed like that for most of the night until Addy woke them up demanding to be fed. 

When morning finally came, Regina knew that she had caught the virus. Her head ached from the pressure in her sinuses and her nose was congested. Worst of all, her throat was extremely sore and it hurt to swallow. Despite her symptoms, Regina pushed herself out of bed and began to get ready to go into work. Mom’s didn’t get sick days and neither did the mayor. She left the house with a full box of tissues and a very large travel mug full of tea that she hoped would help. 

Stepping out into the chilly outdoors, Regina shivered and pulled her coat more tightly around her body. Suddenly she felt her nose began to tickle and she let out a loud sneeze into her elbow. Sniffling, she pulled out a tissue and blew her very congested nose. Today was going to be a long day. 

When Regina got to the office, she tried to get some work done but she was constantly being interrupted by a sneezing or coughing fit. Also, the amount of pure exhaustion that she was feeling from the past few days was really beginning to wear on her. At one point, Regina reached down for yet another tissue and saw that the brand new box of tissues that she had brought was empty. “Oh, whatever…” She groaned before getting caught off guard by another sneeze. She packed up her stuff and headed home in frustration. 

When she got home, Regina saw Robin asleep on the couch with Addy on his chest. Even though she felt horrible, she couldn’t help but smile and feel relieved that Robin had been able to get Addy to sleep.  She walked over and picked up the throw blanket from the back of the couch and lightly placed it over them. Robin began to stir and then opened his eyes. 

“I’m sorry,” Regina said. “I didn’t mean to wake you up.”   
“It’s alright, ” Robin replied. “Did you get some work done?” 

“Yes I did some of it-” She said before breaking off into a harsh coughing fit into her elbow. 

“Oh sweetheart, you caught our cold,” Robin said pitifully. 

“I’m fine,” Regina replied, trying to shrug him off. “I should go start dinner- huh-achoo!.” 

“Regina!” he tried to argue, but the woman was off. Robin groaned. She was so stubborn. He just wished that for once in her life, she would let someone take care of her. He gave Regina about ten minutes and during that time, he heard her sneeze about fifteen times. Shaking his head, he stood up from the couch and placed Addy in her baby swing and went into the kitchen. 

“Alright, that’s enough, ” Robin said, walking over to her. 

“What?” She asked, her voice already sounding nasally.

“You are not making dinner. You are going to lie down on the couch and rest.” Robin told her. 

“Don’t be silly-” she began before breaking away to sneeze again. 

“No, Regina. You’re sick and you need to rest. I can see that you're exhausted and you're not going to get rid of this cold by pushing yourself.” 

“What about dinner?” she asked. 

“We’ll get Granny’s,” Robin told her. “It won’t kill the children not to have a home cooked meal. And, although I love your cooking, I could do without the sneezes. Please, my love. Go and lay down.” 

“Fine,” Regina finally agreed. She went in to give Robin a hug but had to break away early as another lengthy sneezing fit hit her. 

“Alright, couch now,” Robin said and Regina actually listened to him. She curled up on her side and huddled under the throw blanket. Meanwhile, Robin got to work on dinner. He pulled Granny’s menu out of the cabinet and started to look at it. He chose what he wanted and then went to the boy’s rooms to ask what they wanted. Last to choose was Regina. However, when Robin went into the living room, he could see that Regina had fallen asleep. “Good,” he thought. “She needs some rest.” He ordered a bowl of chicken noodle soup for Regina and then added the rest of the food to the order. He put Henry in charge while he ran to town to grab the food. When he returned, he gave the boys their food and then went into the living room with the soup to wake up Regina. 

“My love, time to wake up,” he said softly. Regina’s eyelids fluttered open and she slowly woke up. “Do you think you could eat some soup?” Regina shook her head. “You need to put something in your stomach, love.” he prompted. 

“I feel awful,” she groaned before coughing into her elbow. 

“I know, but in a day or two this will pass and you’ll feel much better,” Robin told her as he pressed a kiss to her forehead. Unlike the rest of her family, Regina didn’t start to feel better. In fact, she began to feel worse. Three days later, she was cocooned in her and Robin’s bed shaking from the chills. Her cheeks were flushed from a very evident fever and her teeth were chattering. Her cold symptoms had gotten more intense. Instead of sneezing every few minutes, she coughed relentlessly. The cough was harsh and sounded painful as it left Regina’s frail body. 

“102.5, my love,” Robin said as he pulled the thermometer from her mouth. 

“I’m f-f-fine,” she replied, her teeth still chattering,

“I’d say a fever that high hardly constitutes fine,” Robin told her. 

“H-henry h-had a f-fever t-too. It’ll b-break.” she stuttered. 

“Henry’s fever wasn’t even over 100 and he didn’t have that cough,” Robin remarked as Regina launched into another coughing fit. “I think we should take you to a doctor.” 

“N-no. N-no doctor,” Regina pleaded. 

“Sweetheart, your fever is very high. Your cough sounds horrible and you haven’t had a proper meal in three days. I’m worried about you getting dehydrated.” Robin told her.  Once again, Regina just shook her head and burrowed further under the covers. Robin rolled his eyes at how stubborn she was being. Needing a minute, he left the bedroom and went into the living room. 

“How’s Mom?” Henry asked as he lightly bounced Addy in his arms. 

“Not great. Her fever’s pretty high, but she’s refusing to see a doctor.” Robin told him. 

“Yeah. Mom’s never been a great patient.” 

“Is Mama gonna die?” Roland suddenly asked, his eyes full of tears. 

“No, of course not,” Robin said, taking his son into his arms. “Mama is pretty sick right now but she’s going to get better.” 

“But my other mommy got sick and she went to Heaven. I don’t want Mama to go to Heaven.” Roland cried. 

“I promise, my boy, that your Mama will be just fine,” Robin told him. “Why don’t you make Mama a get well card for when she’s feeling better?” he suggested. That seemed to keep Roland distracted as he went to find his arts and craft supplies. 

“Do you really think she’ll be okay?” Henry asked. “Her cough sounds awful.” 

“I sure hope so, Henry,” Robin replied honestly. Right now, he felt that something was seriously wrong with Regina, but he didn’t know what. Later that night, Robin got a glimpse of just how sick Regina truly was. In the middle of the night, Regina sat up as she fought off another coughing fit. Robin instantly woke up and rushed into the bathroom to get her a cup of water. “Here love, drink this.” 

“R-Robin, I-I can’t breathe,” she said breathlessly as she clutched her chest. He could see that she was breathing fast, way too fast. He placed a hand on her forehead. 

“You’re burning up,” Robin muttered. He quickly grabbed the thermometer and placed it under her armpit because there was no way that Regina was going to be able to keep it in her mouth with how fast she was breathing. The thermometer beeped and Robin was shocked. The number, 103.9, reflected back at him. 

“That’s it. We’re going to the hospital.” Robin replied. Regina continued to cough and wheeze. She didn’t even argue with him which was how Robin knew how sick she truly was. He called Snow and asked her to come over and watch the kids. She instantly agreed and said that she’d be over in fifteen minutes. However, Robin didn’t want to wait that long. He woke Henry up and told him that he was taking Regina to hospital and that he was in charge until Snow got to the house. With a blanket wrapped around her, Robin lifted a very sick Regina off the bed and held her close to his chest as he went out to the car. She felt like a furnace from her fever. He got her situated in the passenger seat and then got in himself. “We’re almost there,” Robin said while he was driving. “Just hang on.” 

“R-robin, I’m t-tired,” Regina muttered, her teeth chattering from her fever.  

“I know you are, my love,” Robin said. He looked over at Regina and got genuinely scared. Regina looked horrible. She was as pale as a ghost and shivering violently. Her eyes had dark bags under them and she could barely keep them open. After pulling up to the front of the hospital, Robin quickly raced to get Regina out of the car.He tried to help her stand up, but her legs just buckled from beneath her. 

“I don’t feel good…” she mumbled. Her eyes rolled back and Robin felt her begin to fall. He grabbed the unconscious woman and went into the hospital. 

“Help! Help! I need some help!” Robin yelled. Whale and two nurses ran over to him with a gurney. 

“What happened?” 

“She’s been fighting off a virus. Her fever’s nearly 104 and she said that she couldn’t breathe.” Robin stammered out. “She just passed out.” 

“Alright, we’re gonna take care of her,” Whale told him. “I need vitals and we need to get an IV in her. Also, get a mask, she’s going to need some oxygen.” Whale and the nurses started working on her while Robin stood terrified in the corner of the room. 

“BP 80/40, Heart rate 130, Respirations 26 and Temperature of 104.” The nurse told Whale. 

“What’s her pulse ox?” 

“89” 

“Bump up her oxygen to 10 liters,” Whale said. Robin watched as they slid a mask over Regina’s pale face and tried to give her some oxygen.  “Regina, can you hear me?” Whale asked as he shook Regina’s shoulder. She didn’t reply. “Robin, you can’t be here right now.” 

“I-I can’t leave her!” 

“We need to get her stabilized. For now, I need you to the waiting room,” Whale said sternly. Robin looked helplessly over to Regina. He had never seen her look this bad. 

“Sir, please come with me,” The one nurse said as she led Robin out of the room. As Robin left he heard Whale tell the nurses that they needed to get blood cultures and run aCBC. He also watched the nurses dash back into Regina’s room with cooling blankets to get her fever down. It seemed like forever, but eventually, Whale came out to where Robin was sitting. 

“How is she?” he asked. 

“She’s stable,” Whale said. “Her labs reveal that she’s got bacterial pneumonia so we have her on IV antibiotics and fluids. Also because of the infection, she’s struggling to breathe a little bit so she still has oxygen on.” 

“But she’ll be okay?” 

“Yes. She needs a lot of rest and to finish the course of antibiotics, but she should make a full recovery. You're lucky that you got her here when you did. Pneumonia can be life-threatening,” Whale told him. 

“Can I see her?” Robin asked. 

“Yes, you can. Whale led Robin back to Regina’s room and he went inside. She looked so tiny and fragile in the bed. She looked nothing like his strong, extremely stubborn, Regina that he was used to seeing. He took a seat next to Regina’s bed and reached out for her hand. Eventually, Regina began to stir. 

“Robin?” she muttered from under the oxygen mask. Her hand slid up and tried to take the mask off her. 

“Hey, hey, you’re alright,” he told her. “But you need to keep this on.” 

“Where am I?” 

“You’re in the hospital,” Robin told her. “You have pneumonia and you’re pretty sick but they’re going to get you feeling better in no time. How do you feel?” 

“Tired,” She muttered. 

“I bet,” Robin replied softly. “You don’t do things halfway, do you?” She watched a slight smile form on her face, but it disappeared suddenly when she let out a  harsh cough. “They’ve got you on antibiotics so you should start feeling better in a day or two.” 

“I have to stay in the hospital?” she asked. 

“Yes, I’m afraid so,” Robin told her. “You really scared me, Regina.”   
“I’m sorry,” she muttered hoarsely.  

“I hope that you’ve learned from this experience that you need to take care of yourself. You know that the kids and I love you too much to see you like this again.” 

“I know. You’re right.” Regina amended. 

“Now, I know you’re sick. You just agreed with me.” Robin replied with a laugh. 

“Where are the kids?” 

“At home with Snow,” Robin told her. 

“You should go be with them. Addy was still feeling sick and Roland will worry if we’re both gone.” 

“What did I just say about worrying about yourself for once. Snow can handle it.” Robin assured her. “Besides, I am not going anywhere,” he added, pressing a kiss to her still warm forehead. “I told you, Regina, I’m with you...in sickness and in health.” Regina smiled and her eyes began to droop, the exhaustion once again hitting her. “Go to sleep, my love. I’ll be right here,” he told her. Regina once again fell asleep and Robin stayed by her side for the rest of the night. They had some ups and downs throughout the night because Regina’s oxygen kept dropping but all in all, she seemed to be getting better. 

In the morning, Henry and Roland came to the hospital to visit. Snow stayed with Addy because they didn’t want her catching anything else because she was so young.

“I made this for you, Mama!”Roland said as he gave Regina his get well card that he made for her. Regina’s heart felt like it was burst with joy. On the front was a colorful drawing of the two of them and it said “Get Well Mama!” on the inside of the card.

“Are you feeling better, mom?” Henry asked. 

“A little bit,” Regina replied. “I’m mostly tired,” she replied. At this point, the had switched Regina from the oxygen mask to just the nasal cannula. “I’m really just looking forward to getting home and being with you guys.”

“All in good time my love,” Robin told her. “We need to make absolutely sure that you’re alright before we head home.” 

“Fine,” Regina agreed before coughing harshly into her elbow. 

“Alright boys, let’s let Mama get some rest,” Robin said. 

“Okay, bye Mama!” Roland said with a wave. 

“Bye, Mom,” Henry added. 

“I’m going to take them home, but then I’ll be back,” Robin told her. “You try and get some rest while I’m gone.” 

“I’ll try,” She replied hoarsely as Robin and the boys left the room. Despite feeling terrible, Regina couldn’t help but feel lucky. She truly had the best family on the planet and she knew that they would always be there for her like she would be for them. With them by side, maybe, just maybe, Mom’s did get sick days too. 


	6. The Babysitter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Henry babysits his siblings and it doesn't exactly go according to plan

“Mom, please just go.” Henry groaned. Since Addy had been born, Regina and Robin barely had any time to themselves. After a lot of convincing, Robin had gotten Regina to agree to go out to dinner and have Henry babysit. However, now, twenty minutes before their reservation, Regina seemed to be having second thoughts. 

“Just listen-” Regina begged. “There is an oven ready pizza cooling on the stove for you and Roland. And Addy still needs to eat. You can give her the sweet potatoes. That’s the food that we’re trialing this week. Also, if you can, Roland really needs a bath before school tomorrow.” 

“I’ve got it, Mom,” Henry told her. “Get Roland and I some dinner. Feed Addy and bathe Roland. It won’t be that hard. I’ve got this. Just go and have a nice time.” 

“You’ve got my number and-” 

“I have your number, Mom’s number, Grandma and Grandpa’s number, Killian’s number. I have all the numbers mom. And if things go really bad, I call 911.” Henry replied. 

“But they won’t go horribly wrong,” Robin interjected. “We’re just going to dinner and we’ll be back in two hours,” he added as he took Regina’s hand. 

“Okay, fine,” Regina said with a sigh. “Please be good and listen to your brother,” she said as she pressed a kiss to Roland’s forehead. “And you, my little ladybug, please go easy on your brother,” she said to Addy, who was resting contently in Henry’s arms. The little girl smiled in response and reached up to grab her older brother’s face. 

“See! She loves me! Everything will be great,” Henry told her. “Now go!” 

“Okay, I love all three of you. Be good,” Regina said before following Robin out the front door. 

“Alright, now that they’re gone, what do you say we eat some pizza?” Henry asked Roland. 

“Yes! I love pizza!” The little boy replied in excitement. The three children went into the kitchen and Henry placed Addy into her high chair. Then, he moved to the stove and grabbed two slices of pizza and put them on plates for Roland and himself. 

“Here you go, Ro,” Henry said as he placed the pizza down in front of his little brother. Henry sat down next to him and also began eating, however, he only got to enjoy the pizza for a moment before his little sister started to fuss. 

“What’s the matter, Addy? Are you hungry too?” Henry got up and grabbed the jar of sweet potatoes out of the fridge. He heated them up in the microwave like he’d seen his mom do a million times. After scooping up some of the orange mush onto the spoon, Henry sat down in front of Addy’s highchair. “Alright little miss, open up,” he said.  He moved the spoon closer to the little girl’s mouth and she promptly closed it and turned her face away. “Come on Addy, you like sweet potatoes. Mom said you did.” She continued to turn her face away. 

“Maybe you should try them!” Roland suggested. “She always copies you.” 

“I don’t know about that Roland. I don’t want to eat baby food,” Henry replied

“Chicken! You’re a chicken!” Roland mocked. 

“Am not!” 

“Are too!” 

“Am not!” Henry tried again. 

“Then prove it!” Roland said. Henry sighed and looked towards Addy. 

“Alright fine,” he began. “Hey, Addy! Look at Henry! See! It’s yummy!” he added before putting a huge spoonful of the mushy food into his mouth. Addy looked at her older brother curiously. Henry instantly regretted his actions. He stood up quickly and rushed towards the sink to spit out the baby food. Roland at this point was laughing hysterically. Addy still didn’t seem keen on trying the food. “That’s awful,” Henry muttered. 

“I can’t believe you actually ate that!” Roland said, still laughing. 

“You told me to!” 

“I’m six! Why did you listen to me?” Henry rolled his eyes. He had a point. Seeing that the sweet potatoes were clearly not going to work, Henry settled for an applesauce pouch that he’d seen Addy eat before. This time she complied and gladly ate the sweet applesauce. Going through his mental list, Henry checked off dinner and moved onto bath time. 

“Okay, Roland. It’s time for a bath,” Henry told him. 

“Nope.” 

“What do you mean nope?” Henry replied. “You heard Mom. You have to take a bath.” 

“Nope.” 

“Roland!” Henry warned. “You better be in the bathroom by the time I count to five.”   
“Nope. You’ll have to catch me first,” Roland said before sprinting off into the house. 

“Roland!” Henry yelled. He placed Addy in her pack-n-play and raced off after Roland. He ran upstairs and saw Roland jumping on his bed. “Get over here!” Roland screamed and sprinted off in the opposite direction. Eventually, Henry caught his little brother and carried him over his shoulder into the bathroom. With one hand, he started the water and then tried to change Roland out of his clothes. Roland continued to try and get away and Henry was getting pissed to say the least. 

“Roland, please. Just stop!” Henry begged. “I will give you a dollar if you get in the bathtub.” 

“I want five,” Roland countered. 

“No way,” Henry muttered. “One dollar.” 

“Three dollars!” Henry rolled his eyes. 

“Fine.” He said, finally caving. Suddenly, he heard Addy start screaming from downstairs. “Okay, I have to go and get Addy. Stay here. If the water gets too high, just turn it off okay? I’ll be right back,” Henry left a naked Roland in the bathroom and headed downstairs. Addy was standing up in the playpen, tears rushing down her face. “Hey, it’s okay,” Henry said, rushing over to his little sister. When he got closer, he could instantly smell what the problem is. He lifted the baby out of the pack in play and saw that what was causing the awful smell was currently all up his sister’s back. “Oh god, gross,” Henry groaned. “Well, now, you need a bath.” Henry walked the baby upstairs, holding Addy a full arm’s length away from him. “Roland, you’re gonna have to share your bath with Addy,” he said loudly as he walked up to the stairs. He walked to the bathroom and his eyes grew wide when he saw the sight before him. “Roland! What did you do!!!!” Henry screamed. There were bubbles all over the bathroom. They were overflowing out of the bathtub and on to the bathroom floor. 

“I wanted bubbles!” Roland replied  

“How much did you put in???”   
“The whole bottle,” Roland replied.

“God, mom is gonna kill us!” Henry exclaimed as he rushed into the bathroom, trying his best not to slip with a poop covered baby in his hands. He turned off the water and didn’t even know where to begin. “God, what do I do first? Deal with the bubbles or the poop or… god, I don’t even know.” 

“Look, Henry! It’s a bubble party!” Roland exclaimed as he threw the bubbles all around the bathroom. 

“Roland! Don’t do that!” Henry said loudly. He grabbed a towel and decided to deal with the poop covered baby first. He laid Addy down on the towel in the hallway and started to try and change her. “How do I even do this without getting poop all over the place?” Henry wondered to himself. He began to peel the onesie off his little sister and gagged when he saw exactly what he was working with. “Gross!” He tried his best to clean up his little sister but she was beyond messy. With a half naked baby in his arms, Henry checked on Roland and his eyes grew wide when he couldn’t see his brother. “Roland? Where are you?” 

“I’m swimming!” Roland yelled as his head popped out from beneath the bubbles. 

“Well, at least he’s not dead,” Henry thought to himself. Realizing he didn’t have many options, Henry waded through the bubbles and water on the ground and used the sink to rinse off the remaining baby poop off of Addy’s little body before plopping her into the tub with Roland. Henry tried his best to clean both siblings while he tried not to slide on the bathroom floor. Finally, both children were clean. Henry got Roland’s towel and wrapped it around him. Then, he grabbed another towel and wrapped it around Addy. “Alright guys, let’s go. Put pajamas on.” He ushered Roland into his room and helped him get a fresh pair of pajamas before heading into Addy’s nursery to get her a sleeper. Surprisingly, Roland actually listened to him and put his pajamas on and Addy was finally calm. 

“Henry, will you read me a story before bed?” Roland asked. 

“Yeah Ro, sure,” Henry replied. “Which one do you wanna hear?” 

“The one about Mama and Papa!” Roland replied. Henry smiled. Luckily, he knew that one well enough that he didn’t even need a book to tell it. He recounted the story of how Tinkerbell had shown his Mom where Robin was but she had been too afraid to meet the man with the lion tattoo.  Then he recounted how the two of them had met in the Enchanted Forest. Before Henry knew it, Roland’s eyelids began to grow heavy and he fell asleep. Henry couldn’t help but smile at his little brother. He may be a pain in the butt at times, but he was pretty cute. Suddenly Addy started to fuss and Henry could see that she was hungry, so he went downstairs and started to make her a bottle. 

“Okay, okay, it’s coming,” Henry told her. The microwave beeped and Henry tested the temperature of the milk on his skin before popping the nipple of the bottle into his sister’s mouth. Addy sucked happily on the milk as Henry took a seat on the couch as the exhaustion finally began to hit him. Addy drank the whole bottle and Henry burped her, but the little girl was still fussy. He tried to walk around with her and stop her fussing but nothing seemed to be working. Luckily for him, he heard the front door unlock and his mom and Robin walked in. “Thank god.” Henry thought. 

“I hear my little princess,” Regina said as she walked over to Henry. Addy instantly stopped fussing as soon as she was in Regina’s arms. “Yeah, did you just want Mama?” Regina cooed. “Where’s Roland?” 

“He’s in bed,” Henry told her. “Did you guys have a nice dinner?”

“Yes, it was very nice,” Regina replied. Robin nodded, agreeing with Regina. “Now, I think it’s time we get this little one to bed. Thank you for babysitting, Henry” 

“No problem Mom,” Henry replied as he flopped back down on the couch. He watched as Regina headed upstairs with Addy and heard her softly cooing to the baby girl. Robin didn’t waste a minute before he sat next to Henry on the couch. 

“So, how did it really go?” Robin asked. 

“It was fine,” Henry told him. Robin gave him a “seriously?” face and Henry finally caved. “Fine,” Henry started with a sigh. “Addy wouldn’t eat and Roland convinced me to try some of her baby food so that she’d copy me and eat it. That was a mistake. Then I tried to get Roland to take a bath, but he didn’t want to so he had me chase him around the entire house. Then, after I finally caught him, Addy started crying and I went to check on her and she had a blowout. There was poop everywhere!” 

“Gross. For such a little girl, she sure can pack a lot in a diaper,” Robin said. 

“You’re telling me.” Henry groaned. “So I tried to clean her up and…and…” he hesitated, not knowing how Robin would take the news about the bathroom. Henry began to panic when he realized that he still hadn’t cleaned it up. He hadn’t had a spare moment to do so. 

“And what?” Robin asked him. 

“The bathroom well… it uh,” Henry stammered. Suddenly, they heard a yell from upstairs. 

“What the hell happened to my bathroom!” Regina yelled. “Henry!!!” 

“The bathroom may be a tiny bit flooded…” Henry admitted. 

“Your mom doesn’t sound too happy,” Robin replied. 

“Think there’s still a chance you guys will pay me for tonight?” Henry questioned. “I really did try my best.” 

“I wouldn’t count on it from the tone of your mother’s voice,” Robin told him. Henry sighed. He did know his mom and there was absolutely no way he was getting paid for this. “Now, you better go and help your mom clean up the bathroom. Better luck next time.” 

“Roland and Addy: 1. Henry 0,” Henry replied with a laugh before heading upstairs to face the wrath of his mother. If there was one thing Henry knew, he would not be offering to babysit anytime soon...and if he did, his babysitting rates were definitely being raised. 


	7. Ghosts of the Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regina has an uncomfortable encounter with Robin and it throws her back into her memories of the past.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Triggers for rape included in this

Since moving in with Robin and fitting into her domestic role, Regina had become truly happy. She loved Robin. She loved all three of her children and she really just loved her life. It was as simple as that. However, that didn’t mean that she didn’t have moments where the ghosts and memories of her past came back to haunt her.

The night had started out as a quiet one. Robin had gone out with David and Hook for a guy’s night out, so it was just Regina at home with the Roland and Addy. Henry was at Emma’s for the night. From what Henry had told her, he and his other mother planned to spend the night eating pizza and playing video games. Regina had readily told him to go. Henry had grown up so fast in the past few months since Addy came along and their little family had come about. He had stepped into the role of big brother so effortlessly and Regina loved seeing Henry play with Roland or just cuddle with Addy. However, she did miss seeing her eldest son just enjoy being a kid, so she was glad that Emma could provide Henry with the opportunity to do so.

Regina had spent most of the night cuddled with Roland and Addy on the couch. They decided to watch the Lion King. It had become one of Roland’s favorites. He normally insisted that they watch it at least once a week. When it was over, Regina carted both of her sleeping children upstairs and changed them into pajamas. With both kids asleep, Regina ventured downstairs and started cleaning up some dishes that were still sitting in the dish drain. As she was finishing up washing the dishes, Regina head the sound of the front door opening and her heart fluttered at the thought of Robin coming home to her. “Robin!” she said a huge smile on her face. However, once she reached the living room, her face fell at the sight before her. 

“Regina,” He slurred.

“You’re drunk,” She replied sternly. 

“I may have had a few - hic!” Robin answered as he stumbled over to her.

“A few? You reek of scotch. It’s practically coming out of your pore,” Regina told him. “I think you went a bit too hard on guy’s night out and you’re going to regret it in the morning. Let me get you some water and some ibuprofen.”

“I don’t want water. I want _you,_ ” Robin slurred as he walked closer to Regina. He began to kiss her neck and she instantly tensed up.

“Robin, you’re drunk. Another night,” Regina said as she tried to break free of his grasp. “Just, calm down.”

“You’re so hot, Regina,” Robin said. “I need you.” He began kissing Regina even more forcefully and backed her up until she was pressed against the wall.

“Robin, stop,” She begged, feeling herself growing tenser as he continued to kiss her neck. Regina could feel her breathing getting quicker and her chest began to tighten. The odor of scotch overwhelmed her and Regina felt like she was going to be sick. As Robin pressed his heavy body against her, Regina felt more and more trapped. No. This wasn’t happening again. She brought her knee straight up into Robin’s crotch and then pushed him away from her before running from the kitchen into the bathroom. Regina slammed the door and locked it as she felt the panic coursing through her body. She slid down against the edge of the tub and pulled her legs into her chest. She was definitely hyperventilating and her mind was racing. In an instant, Regina was thrown back into the memories of her past.

 

_The Enchanted Forest_

 

_They had been at one of the many balls that King Leopold had thrown. Regina was sitting by herself…again, at the front table as she watched her husband twirl Snow across the dance floor. Part of Regina was jealous of the young girl. If she was going to be trapped in this marriage, it would have been nice if her husband could have at least paid a little bit of attention to her. However, deep down Regina knew that would never happen. Leopold was still deeply in love with his late wife, Eva and nothing would ever change that, no matter how hard Regina tried to be a good wife._

_After spending the majority of the night sitting by herself with no one to talk to, Regina decided to head to bed. She doubted that anyone would miss her anyway. She ventured back to her chambers and changed out of her ornate gown and slipped into a silky jade green nightgown. She crawled underneath her comforter and tried to tune out the sound of the music and laughter coming from the party downstairs. She didn’t know how much longer she could take living in this prison. This wasn’t a marriage. It was a life sentence, one she did not deserve to serve. With tears in her eyes, Regina rolled onto her side and cried into her pillow until she eventually drifted off to sleep._

_A little after midnight. Regina was awoken by the sound of her heavy bedroom door slamming shut. Looking out into the darkness, she saw a staggering form headed in her direction. “Leopold?” she questioned. Her husband never slept in the same chambers. He was far more content sleeping on his own._

_“I was looking for my Queen,” he slurred._

_“Are you drunk?” Regina asked innocently. Her question was only met by a slap to her face._

_“Don’t ask questions!” Leopold screamed as Regina clutched her reddened cheek._

_“Leopold please,” she begged softly. Leopold didn’t listen. He climbed onto the bed, pushed Regina against the mattress and then straddled her body. “Please, no, please…” she whimpered. She could smell the scotch on his body and his breath._

_“You are my wife and you will do as I say!” Leopold growled as he started to kiss her._

_“Leopold, I don’t want this. I do-” He hit her again before reaching his hand under her nightgown. Regina tried to fight. She clawed at his arms and tried to bite him but Leopold was too strong. He pressed her arms down at her sides and had his way with her. Feeling defeated, Regina eventually stopped fighting and accepted her fate. She laid in the bed silently, tears running down her face as Leopold continued to defile her body. Luckily for her, he didn’t last very long. He passed out from exhaustion or alcohol...Regina didn’t know or care. She just needed everything to stop…_

 

Present Day

 

Back in the kitchen, Robin was still sitting on the kitchen floor. There was nothing like a knee to the crotch to make a man sober up. Robin was disgusted and felt sick to his stomach when he realized what he had just done to Regina. He had tried to force her to have sex with him...something he would never do. The alcohol had made him foggy. That was why he didn’t drink very often. However, Hook and David had invited him out and Regina had told him to go. It had been such a fun night…until it wasn’t. 

Robin groaned. He staggered over to the sink and threw up. The combination of multiple glasses of scotch and the memories of what he had just done to Regina had pushed him too far. After wiping his mouth, Robin knew that he needed to talk to Regina. He walked down the hallway and tried to open the bathroom door, but it was locked.

“Regina? Regina, I’m so sorry,” He cried. “I-I would never. I-I don’t know what came over me.” He pressed his ear against the bathroom door and could hear the sound of Regina hyperventilating. “Love, please! Open the door!” Robin didn’t hear any movement from inside the bathroom. He knew if Regina continued to breathe like she was, she was going to pass out. “I’m so sorry. I am so sorry Regina,” he said again. Not knowing what else to do, he went to the kitchen and found his phone. He dialed Snow’s number and held it up to his ear.

“Hello?” Came Snow’s sleepy reply.

“Snow?” Robin said. “I-I need help.”

“Robin? What’s the matter?”

“I-I messed up,” He stuttered. “Regina-she needs you. I don’t know what to do. I messed up so badly.”

“Robin, is Regina hurt?” Snow asked, her voice high with alarm.

“I-I don’t know. Please, just hurry,” Robin begged.

“Okay, okay. I’ll be right over,” Snow assured him before hanging up the phone. Robin placed his head in his hands and couldn’t help but cry. How could he do this? How could he even think of doing _that_ to the love of his life?

Back in the bathroom, Regina was still huddled against the side of the tub. Her lungs felt as if they were on fire. She needed something to focus on. She needed something to distract her. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the shiny glare of her pink razor sitting on the rack in the shower. Regina grabbed it out of old habit and held it to her wrist. She had promised herself that she wouldn’t do this...not again, but she didn’t know what to do. She didn’t know how to calm herself without it.

 

_The Enchanted Forest_

 

_Since the night of the incident, Regina didn’t know how to handle her emotions. She was having panic attacks nearly every time Leopold came around her and she constantly felt dirty. Some days she’d spend nearly two hours in the shower with the water blasting at a high temperature. She’d scrub at her skin until it was red and raw. However, no matter how hard she scrubbed, she couldn’t get the feeling of Leopold off of her. One day, while in the shower, she dropped her razor and it created a large red scratch down her leg. The cut stung as the hot water invaded its edges. Instead of pulling her leg out from under the hot stream of water, Regina kept it there. The pain felt...freeing. For once, she wasn’t thinking about what Leopold had done to her. All she could focus on was the burning pain and at that moment...it was more tolerable than what she had been dealing for the past few weeks. She took that same razor and carefully sliced across the top part of her thigh. Regina gasped as she felt the razor slice through her flesh and she could feel her lungs begin to expand. She finally felt in control. She finally felt free._

 

Present Day

 

With a knock at the door, Robin ran to open it. Snow was there, still dressed in her pajamas. “Where is she?” Snow asked.

“In the bathroom, but it’s locked,” Robin told her.

“Robin, I have to know what happened? Just tell me.”

“I-I was drunk. I started kissing her. I don’t know what came over me.” Robin told her.

“Did you…” Snow began.

“No! No! She stopped me,” Robin replied. “Snow, I-the alcohol- I would never. I-I love her. I just need to talk to her.”

“Robin, I don’t know if that’s such a good idea right now,” Snow told him. “I only know a small part of Regina’s past and it’s not mine to reveal, but she can not see you right now.”

“I have to know that she’s okay. Please, Snow, make sure she’s okay,” Robin begged.

“I will,” Snow assured him. She walked over to the bathroom and grabbed the skeleton key from above the door frame. She unlocked the door and then knocked, not wanting to scare Regina anymore. “Regina, its Snow. I’m gonna come in.” When Snow went inside, she was shocked to see the sight of her stepmother. Snow had only seen her like this one other time.

 

_The Enchanted Forest_

 

_Snow and Regina’s chambers were just down the hall from one another in the castle, so sound traveled pretty well. When the young princess heard screams, she instantly bolted from her bed and went to find out where they were coming from. After listening, she discovered that they were coming from Regina’s room. She slowly opened the door and saw Regina tossing fitfully in bed. Snow walked closer and saw that her stepmother was coated in a thin sheen of sweat and she was mumbling in her sleep._

_“No, no, please no.” Snow gently placed her hand on her stepmother’s arm and tried to wake her._

_“Regina? Regina?” she whispered softly. Regina’s eyes shot open and she looked wildly around the room. “You’re okay,” Snow said sweetly. “You were having a nightmare.” Regina looked at the young princess but still couldn’t control her breathing and her whole body was trembling. “Regina, you have to breathe,” Snow prompted. “Here, put your hand on my chest.” The thought of being touched right now made Regina want to be sick, however, when Snow gently grabbed her hand, Regina allowed it. Snow pressed Regina’s hand to her chest and made eye contact with her stepmother. “Just follow my breathing. In and out. You’ll be okay,” The princess said. It took a few moments, but Regina eventually complied and followed Snow’s commands. Gradually, her breaths became more steady and Regina began to relax. “There, that’s good.” Regina laid back down and Snow sat by her stepmother’s side and gently ran her fingers through her hair. “You’re okay. You’re safe. Just relax.”_

_Regina couldn’t pretend that she didn’t hate the young princess. She was the reason why she was trapped in this prison. However, no one in Regina’s nineteen years of life had ever handled her with such care or compassion. At that moment, that was exactly what she needed. Feeling so exhausted from her panic attack, Regina drifted back to sleep with Snow by her side. The two women never spoke about that moment again._

 

Present Day

 

“Oh Regina,” Snow said softly. She surveyed the sight before her. Regina was breathing heavily and there was a thin cut across Regina’s wrist. It was bleeding, but not profusely. Regina was still holding the pink razor over her arm, her hand shaking. “Regina, I need you to give me the razor.” Snow prompted as she slowly took a seat next to her stepmother on the ground.

“I-I can’t,” Regina replied, her voice trembling

“You have to trust me. Doing this-” Snow motioned to the razor. “...it won’t help. Just let me help you.” She reached out her hand slowly and placed her hand softly over Regina’s. “Just let me help you,” She repeated. Snow took the pink razor from Regina’s hand and instantly the woman crumbled. Snow pulled her sobbing stepmother into her embrace and just held her as she cried. When she felt Regina’s breathing get too fast, she took Regina’s hand and placed it on her own chest.

“Just breathe with me,” Snow said. “Just like before. In and out.” Regina locked eyes with Snow and followed her commands. Gradually, Regina’s breathing began to slow and she started to regain some control over her body. “There you go. It’s alright,” Snow said.

“I-I don’t know what happened...what came over me,” Regina said in a whisper.

“Robin told me what happened…”

“How is he?” Regina asked

“Upset. Worried about you,” Snow replied. “How are you?” she asked softly.

“I-I’m okay,” Regina said, however, she’s wasn’t very convincing.

“Regina, I’ve known you long enough to know that’s a lie,” Snow replied. “Can I fix up your wrist?” Regina nodded. Snow stood up and opened the medicine cabinet above the sink. She grabbed a bottle of hydrogen peroxide, cotton balls, Neosporin and band-aids before sitting back down. “Can I see your wrist?” Snow asked and Regina nodded once again. “This is going to sting a bit,” she warned as she took the hydrogen peroxide soaked cotton balls and pressed them to Regina’s cut. Regina hissed in pain but she didn’t move her arm. Then, Snow covered the cut with Neosporin before covering the long cut with two bandaids.

“I think it was the smell of the alcohol…”Regina mumbled quietly.

“What?”

“The alcohol. The scotch. He’d been drinking,” Regina said again. “He really wasn’t doing anything wrong. Just kissing my neck...nothing we’ve not done before. It was the alcohol and his weight pressed against me against the wall. I-I couldn’t move... just like that I-I was…”

“Back with my father?” Snow asked.. Regina looked up completely shocked. She didn’t know that Snow knew what happened so many years ago. “I-I loved my father, Regina but I know that he was awful to you.I know that he did something to you. And for that, I am so sorry. I am so sorry that I didn’t help you.”

“Y-you were only a child,” Regina breathed out, tears falling from her eyes.

“So were you,” Snow replied, a tear falling from her own eye. She reached out and grabbed Regina’s hand. “You didn’t deserve it. What happened wasn’t your fault.” Regina nodded, not feeling strong enough to truly admit that out loud. For so many years,  she had carried the burden of that moment around with her and she didn’t know how to let it go. If she had been a better wife, would he have let her alone? If she had stayed at the ball, would he have just gone to bed into stumbling into her bedroom? She was filled with so much guilt from that night.“You know that right?” Snow asked. “You know it wasn’t your fault. Regina, say it.”

“I-It wasn’t my fault.” She stuttered out before leaning into Snow’s embrace. The two women stayed like that for a while until Regina finally felt ready to move.

“Are you ready to see him?” Snow asked as she helped Regina off the floor. Regina nodded and the two of them headed into the living room. Robin was sitting on the couch crying, his head in his hands. Upon hearing the sound of footsteps, he looked up and saw Regina.He looked at her red, puffy, tear-streaked face and her bandaged arm that still has bits of blood on it and felt even worse. He had done this to her.

“Regina…” he began as he walked over to her. “I-I-” Suddenly, his knees buckled and he fell to the floor. He wrapped his arms around her waist. “I am so so sorry,” He cried. At that moment, Snow knew that this was a private moment. She gave Regina one last glance before heading for the front door. Regina then turned her attention back to the sobbing man wrapped around her waist.

“Robin…”

“Regina, I would never. I-I am so sorry,” he said again. She took his face into her hands and forced him to look into her eyes.

“It’s okay.” She told him. “I’m okay.”

“I-I don’t know what came over me. I-I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t stopped me. Regina, I love you.”

“I know that you do,” She said. “Please, stand up and come sit with me.” Robin sniffled and wiped his tears before following Regina to the couch.

“I-I want you to listen, okay?” Regina said and Robin nodded. “This is hard for me to say but I want you to know what happened.”

“You can tell me anything,” the thief replied.

“You know that back in the Enchanted Forest, before I became the Evil Queen, that I was married to Snow’s father.” she began. “I-it was a loveless marriage and I was only 18. He mostly ignored me. He only wanted me to be a mother to Snow, but I wasn’t very good at that. One night, he was drunk…he’d been drinking scotch and he decided that I better hold up my role as his wife. He-he forced me and I couldn’t do anything but lie there.”

“Regina…” Robin started to say.

“Please, let me finish,” she told him and he stayed silent. She glanced down at her bandaged wrist. “This was the only thing that helped me to cope. I-I finally had some control in my life. I know it’s not a healthy coping mechanism, but it was all that I had.”

“Have you done it in other places?” Robin asked. Regina nodded,  feeling a bit ashamed. She slowly stood up in front of Robin. She undid the button on her pants and shimmied them down over her thighs. On both legs were parallel scars that run up and down her thighs. They were old and healed, but permanent reminders of what she had gone through.

“ I know that they’re ugly,” Regina replied. “And they’ll never go away. I-I was weak…”

“No,” Robin told her. “Don’t say that. These scars do not make you weak. Even the strongest of people falter at times.” Robin ran his fingers through Regina’s hair. “You’re beautiful,” he told her. “And I will spend the rest of my life making you see just how beautiful you are. And, Regina I am so sorry. So sorry about tonight. So sorry about what happened to you.”

“I forgive you,” Regina told him. “Robin…”

“Yes, my love?” he replied.

“Will you hold me?” she asked.

“You’re sure?” Regina nodded. Robin took her hand and led her to their bedroom. He pulled back the covers and allowed Regina to climb into bed. Then, he got in behind her and reached out. “You’re sure that you're okay?” he asked again.

“I want you to hold me, Robin,” Regina told him. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” Robin replied. He brought Regina into his embrace and held her gently. He wanted to make sure that Regina felt safe and secure. In his arms, Regina began to relax. She knew that Robin would never hurt her the way that Leopold did. She knew that Robin would fight for her, for their family and for their love until his last breath. Regina knew that she’d finally found someone who cared for her and who she really loved.  Yes, even true love's made mistakes, but Regina knew she will always forgive Robin. She knew those memories and ghosts from her past would always be there. However, with the love of Robin and her family, Regina knew that she could get past those as well. She was finally safe. She was finally loved. She was finally free.


	8. The Proposal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robin finally decides to propose to Regina

It was Sunday. This was Robin’s favorite day of the week. Regina didn’t have to work. The kids were home from school and they were all together. He really valued this time with all of them. Henry was sixteen now and Robin knew that time would fly by until he was ready to set out on his own, whether that be for college or something else. However, Robin knew that if Regina had her way, it would definitely be college that Henry was heading towards. 

Roland, although he was only 6, was growing up so fast. He had started kindergarten this year and was quickly changing from an inquisitive little toddler to a sweet, kind and often rambunctious kid. Even Addy had changed so much during this year. She had gone from a tiny newborn baby to an almost one year old, who was smiling, giggling and trying to walk. 

They really had become a family during this year but Robin felt as though something was missing. He was an old fashioned kind of guy and he wanted to officially blend this family forever. He wanted to propose to Regina. He had been wanting to do it for such a long time, but simply couldn’t figure out how to do it. 

Regina was such a special woman and she deserved so much more than a run of the mill proposal. Robin would have given her the whole world if he was able to. She had so effortlessly fallen into the role of being Roland’s mother and though it had taken a little longer with Addy, she had gotten there. Now, when Robin saw her with his children, he couldn’t feel anything but love. Regina looked at Roland and Addy just as she looked at Henry. Robin knew that in her mind, there was no divide.  All three of them were her children. Robin also couldn’t ask for a better partner, a better soul mate. In his eyes, Regina was perfect. She was beautiful, smart and caring. She was everything that he’d ever want in a wife and Robin didn’t want to wait any longer. But first, he knew he had to ask someone else an even bigger question. 

Later that week, Robin took Henry fishing. The boy had been begging him to go and Robin was more than happy to oblige. Together, they walked down the trail in the forest until they made it to Robin’s favorite fishing spot. It was a private spot that not many knew about.He had found it while searching for a new campsite for his Merry Men. Upon seeing the beauty and the peacefulness of the area, Robin decided this wasn’t the space for his rowdy Merry Men and decided to keep the space for just himself. “Thanks for taking me fishing, Robin,” Henry said, his voice full of excitement. 

 

“Anytime, my boy,” Robin replied. “Now, do you know how to get your pole ready and your hook baited?”

“Not really,” the young boy replied with a laugh. “Mom’s not much of a fishermen and the closest that my other mom has gotten to fish is when she heats fish sticks up the oven, ” Robin laughed. He knew that Henry was absolutely right. He had been there for Emma’s fish stick escapade and it had not ended well. There had been a fair bit of smoke and the loud chirping of the smoke alarm to conclude the evening. 

“Alright then,” Robin began. “It’s not very difficult. Let me show you.” He added. He grabbed Henry’s pole and showed him how to pull the fishing line through the pole so it wouldn’t get tangled. Then, he pulled out a worm from the bait container that they had bought and wove it onto the hook. “There, you’re all set. Now, to cast, you throw the line back over your shoulder and make sure to look before you do. No one wants to end up with a hook in their lip instead of in a fish’s mouth. Have you got it?” 

“I think so,” Henry replied. He took the pole from Robin’s outstretched hands and cast it over his shoulder like the older man had just shown him. The bobber landed in the water with a loud “plop” and began to float. 

“There, you’re a natural,” Robin exclaimed. 

“Or I have a great teacher,” Henry added. Robin smiled back at the boy and then cast his own line. The two men sat down on an old fallen tree together and waited for the fish to seek out their bait. It was quiet for a moment and Robin could feel himself getting nervous. 

“Henry, Could I- Could I ask you something?” Robin stuttered out. 

“Yeah sure, what’s up?” The teen replied. 

“Well, you know that since Roland and I moved in and Addy was born, that we’ve all grown a lot closer.” 

“Yeah it’s been nice,” Henry replied. 

“Yes, I’ve thought so too. That was why I was hoping that we might - uh, make it official.” Henry looked at Robin, a look of confusion on his face. “What I mean Henry is that I would very much like it if I could have your blessing to-to marry your mom.” At first, Henry made a serious face. 

“I’m not sure…” 

“It’s alright, my boy,” Robin quickly replied. “It was a stupid idea. Forget I said anything. I was wrong.” 

“Robin! Just be quiet.” Henry replied with a laugh. “I was kidding,” He added with a smile. “Of course, you can marry her… if she says yes, of course. Which, I’m pretty sure she will.” 

“You mean it?” Robin asked 

“You’d have to be blind to not see how much Mom loves you,” Henry replied. “You’re her soul mate. Just under all three of us kids, you’re the person she loves most in this world.” 

“Well, thank you for your blessing, Henry,” Robin said. 

“In all seriousness, if you hurt her, you know you’ll have to answer to me,” Henry replied. 

“Yes, my boy, I know.” Robin replied. “ but I can’t even imagine hurting her.” 

“I know, I just felt like I was supposed to say that, you know be overprotective and stuff. So, how are you gonna do it?” Henry asked. 

“Do what?”

“The proposal! How are you gonna ask mom?” 

“That’s what I don’t know,” Robin replied honestly. “Nothing I think of seems good enough.”

“Well, I’ll help you,” Henry replied. “Between the two of us, we’ll figure out something that’ll blow mom’s mind. This is going to be the most perfect proposal in the history of proposals.” Robin couldn’t help but laugh. He knew Henry was quite the romantic. There wasn’t a doubt in his mind with the young boy’s help that they would come up with something that would be absolutely perfect. 

After a few days of planning and spitballing ideas, Robin and Henry had figured out a perfect night for Regina. Part one of the day was shopping. Snow had happily obliged instantly and after a little convincing, Emma agreed to go as well. Getting Regina to agree was another story. Henry knew that his mother was not a huge fan of shopping but she deserved a new dress for the special occasion. 

“No.” 

“Mom, you have to,” Henry told her. “I’ve already arranged the plans with Mom and Grandma.” 

“You should have asked _me_ first,” Regina retorted as she spoon fed some mushy apples and pears into Addy’s mouth. “You know that I hate shopping and I only tolerate Emma and your grandmother. They’re family and I love them but I don’t want to go shopping with them.” 

“Well… they’ll be here in fifteen minutes…”

“What? Henry Daniel Mills!” 

“You need a break, mom,” Henry told her. “Between being the mayor and trying to keep up with the three of us, you deserve to spend a day focusing on yourself…and maybe get a new dress.” Regina sighed. 

“And who is going to watch your brother and sister?” She asked. 

“Granny already agreed. She’ll be here soon and until then I’ll watch them. I can feed the little peanut some mush,” Henry told her as he took the little red bowl and spoon out of his mother’s hands. “Now, go get ready. Grams and Mom will be here soon.” Regina rolled her eyes. She had learned not to fight with Henry because he was just as stubborn (though she’d never admit it) as she was. Leaving Henry to feed Addy, she went upstairs and got herself ready. Soon enough, she heard the beep of Emma’s yellow bug and looked out the window.Sure enough, Snow and Emma were outside.  Regina groaned. She hated shopping. Maybe she’d be able to convince them to abandon shopping and hit up a bar instead. Henry was right about one thing. She did need a break. She loved her children and Robin but sometimes things just got to be too much. Sluggishly, Regina made her way downstairs and grabbed her purse. She looked to Henry “You’re sure you’ll be alright until Granny gets here?” 

“I’m positive mom, go!” Henry replied. “Say bye bye to Mama, Addy.” 

“Buh bye!” The little girl chorused sweetly as she waved her chubby little hand at Regina. 

“Bye bye baby,” Regina said as she pressed a kiss to the baby girl’s forehead. After that, she walked towards the front door and went out to meet Emma and Snow. Opening the back door, Regina climbed into the yellow bug. 

“Yay, we’re all here! Let’s get this shopping trip started!” Snow said excitedly. “Where should we go first?” 

“How about The White Rabbit?” Regina suggested.

“Regina, that’s a bar, not a store!” Snow retorted. 

“We’ve got a genius in the car.” The former queen replied sarcastically. “I’m aware it’s a bar. It just sounds like more fun to me. Come on, Emma, I know that you hate shopping as much as I do. That’s why you haven’t bought another jacket in years.”

“First of all, I like this jacket. Second of all, rude,” Emma told her. “And, we’re going shopping. We need a girls’ day.”

“We could have a girls’ day at the bar!” Regina exclaimed. Emma and Snow just ignored her and smirked at one another. They drove to the other side of town and pulled into a parking spot in front of the dress store, “Andalasia Fashions.”   

“Alright, everyone out,” Emma said as she parked the bug. Reluctantly, Regina climbed out of the back of the car and followed Snow and Emma inside. 

“Hello, ladies! How can I help you!” The store owner, Giselle said, as she greeted them at the front door. 

“We’re looking for some dresses!” Snow told her. 

“Perfect! We’ve got lots for you to try on.”Giselle told them. “Feel free to roam around the store and find some dresses that you like. When you’re finished, you can bring them to the dressing room and we’ll get this fashion show going!” The girl practically squealed. Regina rolled her eyes. This girl was just as annoyingly cheerful as Snow. However, if she was going to be stuck there, she might as well look around. Regina went through all the racks and picked three dresses that she wanted to try on and made her way to the dressing rooms. 

“Okay! Regina, you’re first!” Snow yelled loudly enough for her to hear in the dressing room. Regina tried to ignore her stepdaughter and pulled on the first dress. The dress was black and had a neckline cut like a V that exposed her cleavage, maybe a little too much. The bottom of the dress flared out. Taking a breath, Regina stepped out of the dressing room and walked towards Emma, Snow, and Giselle. All three were silent. 

“So, what do you think?” Regina asked. 

“It’s black…” Emma said 

“And?” 

“Half your wardrobe is black,” Emma told her

“And half of your wardrobe is that jacket,” Regina retorted. 

“Hey, we’ve already picked on my jacket enough today. All I’m saying is that you could go a little out of your comfort zone and pick a color other than black.” 

“I like the neckline though,” Snow added. Regina groaned and practically stomped back into the dressing room. She took off the first dress and looked to her second dress. It was a skin tight, teal dress with a v-neck like Snow wanted. She walked out and did a twirl. 

“Well? I gave you color.” Once again, the three women didn’t speak. “Come on! I’m partaking in this stupid fashion show. The least you could do is be honest with me.” 

“I like the neckline,” Snow chorused again. 

“If you want honesty, you look like you’re ready to grow a tail and dive into the ocean,” Emma told her. Regina looked down. The dress did remind her a bit of the color of Ariel’s tail when she was in her mermaid form. Also, the mermaid cut of the dress was not helping matters. 

“You know I didn’t come on this trip to be insulted. This is why I hate shopping.” 

“We just want you to find the perfect dress,” Snow told her. 

“The perfect dress for what?!?” Regina exclaimed. “I don’t know what event you think I’m wearing this to. I don’t go out. I do my mayor duties and then, I’m a mom. I get covered in baby food, dirt and spit up. I don’t wear dresses like these anymore.” 

“Everyone needs a special dress just in case a special occasion comes along. Just go try on the last dress,” Snow told her. Regina stomped off to the dressing room once more and took off the second dress. The last dress was not similar to the other two in any way. Frankly, Regina was surprised she picked it up. It was very different from something that she’d typically choose. The dress was a bright cherry red color. It covered her shoulders and also had a V neckline. The bottom of the dress was flowy with a slit up her left leg. When Regina looked in the mirror, she was shocked at how much she loved this dress. It hugged her in all the right places and Regina really felt… sexy. She prayed that Emma and Snow liked this dress because she really didn’t want to hear any criticism about it. In her eyes, it was perfect. Regina walked out of the dressing room with a huge smile on her face. Emma and Snow could instantly see that Regina loved this dress. 

“So?”

“It’s gorgeous, Regina,” Emma said. “You look amazing.” Regina looked over to Snow who practically had tears in her eyes. 

“You look beautiful,” Snow told her, her voice choked up from the tears.

“Okay… thanks,” Regina said. “Why are you crying?” 

“Oh...I-I’m fine.” Snow replied quickly as she wiped her eyes. “It’s just that time of the month you know. Hormones. Never know what’s gonna set me off.”

“Okay…didn’t need to know that,” Regina said. “But anyway, I love this dress. I think I want to get it.” 

“You absolutely should,” Emma told her. “Go change and then, it’s our turn.” Regina nodded and headed into the dressing room. When she was gone, Emma elbowed her mother in the side. “Pull yourself together! If you don’t stop, they’re gonna start calling you weepy and make you the eighth dwarf. Do you want to give away the surprise?” 

“I can’t help it. I’m just so happy for her.” Snow replied. “She just looked so beautiful. She deserves to be so happy. She has been through so much in her life and it’s finally time for her to find her happiness.”

“I agree with you, I do, but Regina’s smart. If you keep acting weird she’s gonna catch on and figure out what’s going on.” Emma told her. “Henry will never forgive us if we give away the surprise, so pull yourself together, okay.” Snow nodded and soon enough, Regina emerged from the dressing room with the red dress in hand. 

“Alright, your turn.” She said motioning to Emma and Snow. “I get to judge your dress picks now.” Emma and Snow went along with the plan and tried on some dresses, though neither one actually bought one. After paying, the three women piled into the yellow bug and drove home to the mayor’s mansion. They went inside and Roland instantly flocked to his mother. 

“Mama, you’re home!” He exclaimed as he ran to her arms. 

“I am. Did you have a good day with Granny?” 

“Yup! We played lots a games,” Roland told her. “And I won, right Granny?” 

“That’s right,” Granny replied as she walked in from the kitchen with a squirmy Addy in her arms. 

“There’s my girl!” Regina exclaimed as she took the smiley infant into her arms and pressed a kiss to her cheek. 

“She’s been fed, changed and she took a two hour nap,” Granny told her. 

“That’s my good girl,” Regina cooed. 

“Something came for you while you were out,” Granny told her. “It’s in the kitchen.” Regina scrunched up her eyebrows in confusion and wandered into the kitchen. In the center of the table was a huge bouquet of red roses. 

“Oh, they're beautiful,” Regina said as she picked up the card. She opened the envelope and smiled. The card inside said _“To my love, though these flowers are not nearly as beautiful as you are, I hope that you like them. I wanted to surprise you with a spontaneous date night, so get ready in that new dress and I’ll pick you up around five. - Robin_.” Regina looked at Emma and Snow and gave them a look. “You both knew about this.” 

“Well, we couldn’t give away the surprise,” Emma told her. “We’re gonna get going so you can get ready. Henry is at my house, hanging out with Hook.” 

“And these two little ones are coming with me.” Snow said motioning to Roland and Addy. “Now, let me get my hands on this little peanut,” Regina smirked at her stepdaughter and handed the little girl over to her.  

“You have her stuff already? Her blankie and formula?” Regina asked. 

“We have everything,” Snow told her. “Robin has taken care of everything. All you have to do is focus on yourself for the night.” 

“Okay, thank you to you both,” Regina replied. She said goodbye to everyone and watched as they piled out the front door. Left all alone, Regina didn’t really know what to do with herself. It was rare that she got moments like this. She grabbed some leftovers from the fridge and heated them up to quell the hunger in her stomach. When she was finished, she looked at the clock and saw that it was already 3:30, so she decided to start getting ready. She went upstairs to her and Robin’s shared master bedroom and hopped into the shower. When she was finished, she dried off and slipped on the new dress that she had just bought. Next, she set off to do her makeup. She chose a very subtle look, just enough to highlight her delicate features. She settled on a bold red lip to complete the ensemble. She dried her hair and decided to curl it. She didn’t really have time to curl it very often anymore, but tonight was a special night. She threw on some jewelry and a pair of nude heels and looked in the mirror. She looked… beautiful and she felt great. Suddenly, she heard the doorbell ring and a huge smile formed on her face. She carefully walked downstairs, trying not to trip or slip on her dress. When she opened the front door, Robin, who was dressed in black pants and a red button up dress shirt was standing outside on the front porch.  

“Regina… you look… wow,” The man stuttered out. 

“You look pretty wow yourself,” She laughed. 

“Are you ready for our date night, milady?” He asked, his hand outstretched to help her down the stairs. 

“I am,” Regina replied as she took her soulmate’s hand. He led her outside and opened the door to Regina’s black Cadillac for her to climb inside. “Thank you,” she replied as Robin shut the car door, careful not to close it on her dress. Robin then went around and climbed into the driver’s side. He pulled away from the mayoral mansion and began to drive. “So, where are going?” Regina asked “Dinner? A movie? A ball?” She asked with a laugh. 

“You’ll have to wait and see,” Robin told her. 

“That’s not fair. You know I hate surprises. Can’t you just give me a hint?”  

“I’m afraid not, milady,” Robin replied. “Just relax and we’ll be there soon enough.” Regina leaned back in her seat and stared out the window as they drove. As they got further away from home, Regina could tell that they were headed for Storybrooke’s beach. Robin pulled into a parking spot at the edge of the sand and then went around to the other side of the car to open the door for Regina. 

“If I had known we were going to the beach, I would never have worn heels,” Regina told him, a smirk on her face. She reached down and slipped off her heels and threw them back into the car. ``What now?” she asked. 

“Allow me,” Robin replied, as he reached out a hand to Regina. She took it instantly and intertwined her fingers with his. Robin led her down the beach. Tied to a wooden post were two gorgeous horses. One of the horses was completely black and the other was a beautiful chestnut brown color with a long stripe of white down the front of his face. 

“Oh my goodness, they’re beautiful,” Regina said as she walked up to the two horses. She was instantly drawn to the chestnut colored one. She rubbed the horse’s head and peered into his big black eyes. “It’s crazy… he looks just like my horse, Rocinante from back in the Enchanted Forest.” 

“Henry mentioned that you used to ride,” Robin told her. “I thought you’d like the chance to do it again.” 

“I would love to,” Regina replied, still stroking the horse’s mane. 

“Then I’ll go and grab your saddle.” 

“Oh, I don’t need it,” Regina said, cutting him off. “I always ride bareback. I just need a leg up” 

“Each day, you continue to surprise me,” Robin replied, a huge smile on his face. He leaned down and boosted Regina up onto the horse. She swung her leg over the horse’s body and situated herself on top of the animal. 

“I guess I’m lucky that I bought the flowy dress and not the tight one,” Regina said with a laugh. 

“Yes, I suppose that could have proven more difficult,” Robin agreed. “So, should we go for a stroll?” Regina nodded her head and reached for Robin’s hand. They walked down the beach on the backs of the horses and gazed out at the horizon as the sun began to set. 

“I forgot how beautiful sunsets in Storybrooke could be,” Regina said in awe of the swirling colors in the sky.”

“They’re not nearly as beautiful as you, my love,” Robin replied as he looked over at Regina. At that moment, Robin couldn’t get over how truly beautiful she was. Her long black locks were blowing from the wind coming from the sea and her eyes sparkled in the sunlight. 

“What’s got you so flirty tonight?” Regina asked with a smirk. “I mean, this is quite a lot of planning and effort for a date night.” 

“And you’re worth every second of it,” Robin told her. “You deserve so much. You’re such an amazing partner and mother.” 

“Well, I appreciate that,” Regina replied. “You’re pretty great yourself. If I’m being honest though, just walking is getting a bit boring. How about we kick this up a notch?”   
“What did you have in mind, milady?” 

“How about a race?” 

“I’d hate to beat the lady on her special day,” Robin retorted with a white toothed smirk. 

“Bring it, thief,” Regina replied. “On your mark, get set...Go!” Robin watched as Regina kicked her heels into the horse’s side and took off down the beach. He tried desperately to catch up with her, but he had to admit...Regina was an amazing rider. She knew exactly how to grip on to the horse’s mane and make him go faster. When they reached the end of the beach, Regina beat Robin by a mile. “Anything to say now, thief?” Regina smirked at him as she hopped off the horse and walked over to Robin. 

“You won, my love. I had no idea you were such a great rider.” Robin said as he pulled Regina’s body close to his. 

“And you didn’t let me win?” 

“I would never,” Robin told her. “Are you ready to move on to the next part of the night?” 

“There’s more?” 

“The night is far from over, milady,” Robin told her. He took her by the hand and led her to a secluded corner of the beach where there was a blanket with candles set up. On the blanket was a picnic basket. 

“Robin…” Regina said breathlessly. “This is amazing.” Walking hand in hand, the two of them headed over to the blanket and took a seat. Robin opened up the picnic basket and pulled out a bottle of red wine (Regina’s favorite). He popped the cork out of the bottle and poured Regina and himself a glass. 

“Cheers, my love, to a night full of love,” Robin said. 

“Cheers,” Regina agreed as she clinked her glass with Robin’s. 

“Now, for food. I am many things but a cook is not one of them,” Robin laughed. 

“I think our microwave agrees with that statement,” Regina laughed. “I don’t think I’ve ever met a person who couldn’t even manage microwave mac n’cheese. Even Henry can cook that.” 

“Point taken,” the man agreed. “So, I got the next best thing...which happens to be your favorite.” He opened up the picnic basket and pulled out two grilled cheese sandwiches from Granny’s. Robin found it hilarious that a woman as serious and sophisticated as Regina loved food as simple as grilled cheese. Robin knew that she could never get enough of Granny’s grilled cheeses. 

“Those are my favorite,” Regina mused as she took the sandwich from Robin and immediately dug in. 

“That’s not the best part. There’s dessert.” 

“Do tell,” Regina said. Robin reached once more into the picnic basket and pulled out an apple pie. 

“I know you can’t resist an apple pie.” 

“That is true…” Regina said. “Thank you...for tonight. We haven’t had a night like this to ourselves in a long time.” 

“Anything for you, my love,” Robin told her. “Now, let’s eat because I can practically hear that stomach of yours growling. I think it might start a riot if it doesn’t get some of that grilled cheese.” Regina laughed and happily obliged. She was starving. Those leftovers that she had scarfed down before leaving had not done much to fill her stomach. They ate in silence for a while. Then, Regina felt that Robin was staring at her. 

“What?” she asked. 

“Nothing it’s just…you’re so beautiful.” He told her. “But...you do have cheese on your face.”  

“What? Where?” Regina replied instantly. She looked around for a napkin but couldn’t find one. 

“Let me,” Robin insisted. He leaned in and began to kiss Regina, making sure to get the small spot of cheese on her lips. Once he started, Robin didn’t want to stop. He pressed his body further onto Regina’s and held her close as they laid back on the blanket. 

“Robin…” Regina said breathlessly before pushing her lips onto Robin’s. They made out for a while before lying down next to one another on the blanket. Robin wrapped his arms around Regina’s body and pulled her in close.” 

“Love...can I ask you a question?” 

“Of course,” she replied, turning over to look at the handsome man next to her. 

“Are you happy?” he asked. “With me? With our life together?” 

“Are you kidding me?” Regina replied. “I love our life. I love our children and most of all...I love you.” she replied, pressing one last kiss to his lips. “Are you happy?” She asked, pulling her lips away. 

“Deliriously so,” Robin told her. She smiled one of her piercing white toothed smiles and Robin felt his heart flutter. “Are you ready for the last part of our evening?” Regina nodded. 

“I’m always ready for anything you want to do,” she told him. “I’m in this with you. No matter what.” 

“And I you,” Robin told her. “Shall we?” he asked after standing up from the sand and reaching his hands down to help Regina up. She took his hands and allowed him to pull her to her feet. They walked hand in hand back to the horses and rode them back to the car. When they arrived back at the car, Robin pulled a blindfold from his pocket. 

“I have to put that on?” she asked. 

“Do you trust me?” He asked. She smiled and nodded. Robin slipped the blindfold over her head. “No peeking alright? I know you like to peek.” 

“I won’t peek,” she promised. “I just can’t find the car,” she added with a laugh. 

“Leave that to me, my darling,” Robin told her. He gently took her by the hand and led her body to the car. Careful not to bump her head, Robin eased her down into the passenger seat and then went around to the driver’s side to get in himself. They had been driving for about five minutes when Regina first spoke. 

“Are we almost there?” 

“Patience, my love. We’ll be there soon,” he told her. That answer seemed to satisfy her enough to get them to their final destination. Robin pulled the car over to the side of the road. 

“Can I take this off yet?” she asked as she pulled at her blindfold.

“Not yet.” 

“How am I going to walk if I can’t see?” Regina retorted. 

“I thought you trusted me,” Robin replied. 

“I do,” She replied instantly. “I just also like having the ability to see where I’m going.” 

“I will be your guide,” Robin told her. He pulled her in close and whispered “Trust me,” softly into her ear. He led her through a path in the forest. 

“Are we in the forest, Robin? I can hear all the twigs snapping under my feet.” She asked. 

“Maybe,” Robin told her. “Just a little bit further and then we can take that blindfold off.” He led her further down the path and then stopped her. “Alright, stay here. Wait five seconds and then, you can take your blindfold off.” 

“Where are you going?” she asked, hearing Robin’s footsteps grow quieter. 

“I’m right here,” He told her. “Just take off your blindfold in 3...2...1….” Hearing Robin get to one, Regina removed the blindfold from her eyes and blinked rapidly as her eyes adjusted to the sight before her. There was a path lit up by candles. On either side were all the people that they cared about. Snow and Charming were there with little Neal in their arms. On the other side were Hook and Emma who were cuddled in one another’s embrace. Granny and Ruby were there, along with all the other Merry Men. Finally at the end of the lines were Roland and Henry, who was holding Addy in his arms. At the very center of the path was Robin. Regina looked around completely stunned. She almost didn’t know what to do.

“What is happening?” she asked, looking to Snow. Snow smiled with tears in her eyes and reached out and gave her a red rose. 

“This is it, Regina… it’s time to find your happiness.” She said. Regina took the rose into her hands and continued to look around. She wandered further down the path and accepted roses from Emma and Hook, Granny, Ruby and all of the Merry Men. 

“Here, Mama,” Roland said as she also handed her a rose. 

“Thank you, baby,” Regina replied, her eyes welling with tears. Then, she moved onto Henry who handed her two roses, one for himself and one for Addy. 

“I’m so happy for you, Mom,” Henry told her. “Now go,” he added, motioning to Robin. Regina looked over at Robin...her soul mate and walked closer to him. 

“Robin… I-” Regina began. “I don’t even know what to say.” 

“That’s a good thing because it is my turn to talk,” He began with a laugh. “Regina, my love, from the moment that we met, I knew that there was something special about you. Since that day, my love for you has only grown stronger and I can say honestly that my heart belongs only to you. You bring me so much joy and happiness...and those were two things that for a while I wasn’t sure I was capable of feeling any longer. I love every little thing about you… I love your eyes and your smile, but mostly, I love your heart. I love how you care and protect those that you love with the fierceness of a lioness. I love watching you with our children and seeing you nurture and love each and every one of them. Regina, you are my favorite person, my soulmate, my true love, my future.  I want to spend every last moment of my life making you happy.” Robin stopped talking for a second and looked over to Henry who handed him a red velvet ring box. “I don’t have another rose for you, my love, but I hope that you’ll love this just as much.” He knelt down on one knee and opened up the ring box. Regina gasped when she saw the ring inside.It was beautiful. The band was slender and golden. In the center was an oval shaped, purple sapphire with three tiny diamonds on either side of the larger stone. “This ring was my mother’s,” he told her. “And, I knew she would want you to have it. So, Regina Mills, love of my life, will you marry me?” He asked. 

Regina looked down at the man before her completely in awe. She had come so far from her days as the Evil Queen where she truly never believed that she’d find love or happiness. Losing Daniel has felt like someone shot her in the heart. It had created a hole in her heart that felt like it could never be repaired. However, now as she looked into Robin’s crystal blue eyes, she could see the love that he had for her and she could say wholeheartedly that Robin had repaired that hole that had once been there. Every inch of her heart belonged to Robin now. She had so much she wanted to say to him. She what to tell him how much she loved him but she was too overwhelmed by her emotions in that moment and the most that she could muster was a breathless “Yes,” She nodded her head once more to make sure that Robin knew what she was saying was true. “Yes, I will marry you,” she added, tears in her eyes. Robin beamed and slid the ring over her ring finger before pulling her in for a kiss. Even as they were kissing, Regina could hear clapping and cheering behind her. When she broke away from Robin’s kiss, everyone was coming to congratulate them. Regina felt like everything was happening in slow motion. She couldn’t believe this was happening. She had Robin. She had her three beautiful children. She had the Charmings and Emma and Hook. She had so many people that loved her.  “This is it,” Regina thought. “This is what true happiness feels like.”Regina soaked in every moment. She knew at that moment, this wasn’t a happy ending. It was a happy beginning. 


	9. A Year of Firsts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Addy's First Birthday!

The first year of Addy’s life had flown by exponentially fast. Neither Robin nor Regina could believe that their baby girl was already one year old. Regina had practically been making herself nuts as she prepared for Addy’s first birthday party. They had gone with a ladybug theme because of the little girl’s love for her stuffed ladybug. Robin had even taken to calling her his little ladybug. All the decorations were black and red. Roland and Henry had been blowing up red balloons and sticking black polka dots on them all morning. Regina had spent all last night creating a ladybug birthday cake. It had taken two tries but now that it was complete, it did look really good. She had also made ladybug cupcakes because she claimed that people needed options. “Everything is going to be fine, love,” Robin told her as he walked into the kitchen with Addy in his arms. 

“I just want everything to be perfect. You only get one first birthday,” Regina replied. 

“And it will be a wonderful first birthday,” Robin told her. “But you’re going to make yourself crazy and not enjoy it if you’re so focused on it being perfect.” 

“Guests will be arriving soon and I have to get the birthday girl ready,” Regina replied. “Come here sweetie,” she added, stretching her arms to Addy. The little leaned from her father’s arms into her mother’s grasp.  Robin was not surprised that Addy had so readily gone to her mother. Once Regina had come to terms with the little girl’s existence, the two had become inseparable. It was no surprise when Addy chose what her first word was…

 

_*flashback*_

 

_“She spoke Robin! She said her first word!” Regina exclaimed as she ran into the living room with the little girl in her hands._

_“What did she say?”_

_“She said Mama! I swear!” Regina said. “Come on baby, say it again. Say Mama!” she cooed at the baby. The little girl smiled her toothless grin at her mother and babbled out some kind of word. Robin wasn’t so sure it was Mama though._

_“I’m not so sure that was Mama…” Robin replied quietly._

_“Are you kidding me? It was clearly Mama.” Regina told him. “Weren’t you listening to her?”_

_“It just sounded like babbling to me. I think you may have heard what you wanted to,” Robin laughed. Regina groaned at her fiancé and practically stomped away with the baby in her arms. She had said Mama. Regina heard it and no one could tell her otherwise. Later on in the day, the family of five was sitting on the couch attempting to watch a movie. It was proving difficult however because Addy was rather fussy and kept crying. Robin was walking around with her, bouncing her gently, in an attempt to calm her. “What is it, my love? What’s the matter? What do you want?” he cooed. Addy continued to cry and then all of a sudden she babbled out a very clear “Mama.” and reached out towards Regina. Robin gasped when he heard it...her first word. Regina smirked at her fiancé and stood up to take the baby._

_“I told you she said Mama.”_

 

Robin was pulled from his thoughts when Regina returned from the nursery. Addy was dressed in a white onesie with a large red one with black polka dots. She was also wearing a red tutu and a headband with black and red flowers on it. “Well look at this little ladybug,” Robin cooed, taking his daughter into his arms. 

“Don’t know how long that outfit will stay clean with all her drooling but it’ll look cute for a while,” Regina replied. Ever since Addy had cut her first tooth, she had been drooling nonstop. God, that had been a nightmare…

 

_*flashback*_

_“God, can’t you make her stop screaming?” Henry groaned as he rested his head on the kitchen counter._

_“Yeah, she’s so loud,” Roland agreed._

_“She’s teething guys and it hurts. Try having a little sympathy,” Robin told the two boys. He looked over to Regina who was walking around bouncing the screaming baby. There were dark circles under her eyes and Robin knew she was exhausted. Addy had kept them both up all night for the past few nights. He knew that the little girl was in pain and he felt bad for her. However, he also knew that if Regina didn’t get some sleep soon that she was going to pass out._

_“Sweetheart, would you like me to try?” he asked, walking over to Regina. The woman just shook her head._

_“We both know it has to be me,” Regina replied. She had tears in her eyes. “I don’t know what to do anymore. I’ve bounced her. I’ve rocked her. I gave her the teethers. I let her bite on my finger. She will not stop crying. I’m-I’m so tired, Robin.” Robin had feared this moment was going to happen. Without a second thought, he took the screaming infant from her arms._

_“Love, go and lie down,” Robin told her._

_“But-”_

_“She will be fine. She’s just teething. Crankiness is expected,” the man replied. “It doesn’t matter whose arms she’s crying in. And, you’re exhausted and look like you’re ready to drop.”_

_“I-I have to go to work,” Regina tried._

_“I’ll call your assistant and tell her to clear your schedule,” Robin told her. “You’re in no shape to try and work today. Just go and rest.” Feeling completely exhausted, Regina finally gave him. She gave Robin a look and said, “Thank you,” before heading to their bedroom to get some rest.Robin spent the rest of the day trying to stop his daughter’s pain. Eventually, Addy settled down to sleep and Robin let out a sigh of relief and flopped down on the couch.  It was then that Regina wandered into the living room, still dressed in her pajamas._

_“Feeling better?”_

_“Much,” Regina replied. “You got her to sleep?” She asked motioning to the baby._

_“I think she just wore herself out from crying,” Robin told her honestly. “I don’t think I had much to do with it.”_

_“Well regardless, at least, she’s stopped crying.” Regina crawled onto the couch and cuddled herself into Robin’s embrace. “Thank you”_

_“For what?”_

_“For knowing what was best for me and stopping my crazy,” Regina replied._

_“You weren’t crazy, my love. You were just exhausted,” Robin told her. “You are the best mother but sometimes you have to take care of yourself. And it is abundantly clear that our daughter likes you better than she likes me but I can help too,” He added with a laugh._

_“That’s not true.” She pauses for a second “Okay, it’s a little true,” she admitted. “Next time, I will let you help more.”_

_“That’s what I like to hear,” Robin replied as he leaned in and pressed a kiss to Regina’s lips. Then, as if she knew it was a bad time, Addy began to cry._

_“I’ll get her,” Regina sighed. She walked over to the pack n play and pulled the baby out. The little girl seemed to be in better spirits. She smiled at her mother and reached happily for her face. When she smiled, she flashed a now toothy grin. “It popped through!” Regina said excitedly. “You have a tooth” she cooed._

_“Now, we only have nineteen more to go,” Robin retorted. He was glad that his baby girl finally had some relief. However, the realization that they would have to go through this nineteen more times was not something that he was looking forward to._

 

Since that day, Addy had grown six more teeth to add to her toothy grin. She looked incredibly cute whenever she flashy her cheeky little grin. Suddenly, the doorbell rang. “Guests are here,” Regina said as she made her way over to the front door. When she opened it, Snow, Charming, and Neal were outside with Emma and Hook. “Come in,” Regina said, opening the door wider. “Thank you for coming guys,” 

“As if we’d miss Addy’s first birthday,” Snow chorused. “Where is the birthday girl?”   
“She’s right here,” Robin said as he walked in from the kitchen. 

“Oh my goodness, look at the little ladybug outfit!” Snow cooed. “She looks so cute! I can’t believe how big she’s gotten.”  

“Neither can I,” Regina replied. “But anyway, come in. There’s food and drinks in the kitchen.” The group of people filed into the kitchen and over the next hour more people showed up. Granny and Ruby were next to come, followed by Leroy and the rest of the dwarves. Archie also showed up a little later and of course, all the Merry Men were present. They were all talking happily when Regina announced it was time to bring out the birthday cake. She situated Addy in her high chair with just her headband and diaper on. She anticipated that things were about to get messy. After Addy was situated, she walked in with the birthday cake with one lit candle. Everyone began to sing. 

“ _Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday dear Addy, Happy Birthday to you!”_ When the singing ended, Robin and Regina each blew on the single candle, until the flame turned to black smoke and everyone clapped. 

“Alright, let’s cut this cake,” Robin announced. He took the cake to the counter and cut one slice, which he handed to Regina. She took the piece of cake and set it down in front of Addy. The little girl looked at it curiously. She tentatively reached her hand out and touched the cake. She made a face at first and recoiled at the touch. 

“It’s cake, baby,” Regina said. She stuck her finger into the icing and got just enough to place inside Addy’s mouth. The little girl sucked the icing of her finger and smiled. Her eyes grew wide and everyone could see that she liked the cake. She reached down with her chubby little hands and grabbed the cake. With both hands, she shoved it into her mouth, getting icing all over her face in the process. 

“Well, I think the lass likes her cake.” Hook said with a laugh. 

“It’s a miracle she eats anything,” Regina replied. When they first started feeding Addy solids, she didn’t think they’d ever find a food that she’d actually eat. 

 

_*flashback*_

_“Alright my little love bug, let’s try some peas.” Regina prompted as she pushed the baby spoon into her daughter’s mouth. As soon as the green mush touched her tongue, Addy instantly spit it back out. “Okay… I guess we don’t like peas.” She grabbed another jar of baby food. “What about carrots?” she asked, once again trying to feed her daughter. This time, Addy didn’t just let the food roll off her tongue. She full on spit it out, some particles landing on her mother’s skirt. “I guess that would be a no.”_

_“She eat anything?” Henry asked, walking into the kitchen_

_“No. She doesn’t like peas and she definitely doesn’t like carrots,” Regina replied, motioning to her skirt._

_“We should make her eat a lemon,” Henry replied with a laugh._

_“Henry!”_

_“What? It’d be funny. She’s not eating anyway. Might as well get a laugh out of it,” Henry told her. He went to the fridge and grabbed a lemon. He cut a slice and walked over to his sister and mother._

_“Henry…” Regina warned._

_“It’s not gonna kill her mom. Lighten up,” Henry told her. “Plus isn’t it a big brother’s job to tease his little sister just a little bit.” Without a second thought, Henry brought the lemon up to his sister’s lips. “Open up Ads,” he said. Surprisingly, the little girl opened up her mouth and sucked onto the lemon. She pursed her lips and scrunched up her nose at the sour taste. Both Henry and Regina laughed.  Despite the taste, Addy reached for the lemon once more and Henry let her have it. She once again made a sour face, but just kept eating it. “I can’t tell if she actually likes it or not.”_

_“I’m not sure if she even knows,” Regina told him._

_“Well at least she eats something now,” Henry replied to his mother. Regina scoffed. Her baby was not going to eat lemons for the rest of her life. But Regina was determined and she wasn’t giving up. She practically bought every flavor of baby food that the store sold and she was going to have Addy try every single flavor until she found something that the little girl would eat. After a few dozen jars of baby food and a lot of patience, Regina discovered that Addy was partial to fruits. It wasn’t a perfect solution but it was definitely a start._

 

As Addy continued to eat her birthday cake, she didn’t just shove the cake into her mouth. She transitioned to putting it on her head and in her hair. “Oh no!” Regina exclaimed as she tried to grab her daughter’s icing covered hands. “I wasn’t expecting that,” she added. 

“Looks like little miss is gonna need a bath,” Robin replied with a laugh. “She has so much cake in her hair.” 

“Just imagine how bad it would be if you hadn’t let me cut her hair,” Regina retorted. Addy’s recent haircut had actually caused quite the argument between her and Robin. 

 

_“No, absolutely not,” Robin said._

“ _Robin, she needs a haircut,” Regina shot back._

“ _Her hair is fine.”_

_“It’s all in her eyes,” Regina told him. “She can barely see.” Robin looked at his daughter. She smiled at him behind the dirty blonde ringlets that fell in front of her eyes. “Listen, I’m not talking about giving her a buzz cut. I just want her to be able to see.”_

_“I haven’t even cut Roland’s hair.”_

_“That’s an argument for another day,” Regina replied._

_“You want to cut his hair as well?”_

_“I want them to get a trim, Robin! I’m not scalping them,” Regina retorted. “Listen, I made an appointment at the hairdresser for noon and we’re going.” She said motioning to her and Addy._

_“I guess I don’t really get a say,” Robin answered in an indignant tone._

_“You could come with us,” Regina suggested. Robin knew at that moment he had lost. Regina was stubborn and there was no changing her mind, so Robin decided to go along. Just before noon, they wandered into the children’s hairdresser. The inside of the shop was painted in bright primary colors and the seats weren’t normal ones. Instead, they were shaped like planes, trains, and cars._

_“Hi, guys,” The girl at the counter said. “How can I help you?”_

_“We have an appointment for noon,” Regina replied._

_“Of course,” The girl replied sweetly. “Who’s getting a trim?”_

_“That would be this little one,” Regina said, pointing to Addy._

_“Alright, little princess, let’s get you started. Who wants to hold baby?”_

_“I will,” Regina replied. She climbed into the chair and positioned Addy on her lap. Almost instantly, the little girl began to squirm and cry. “Shh, Shh, it’s okay,” Regina cooed, trying to get the little girl to stop crying._

_“Dada!” the baby girl cried, reaching out to Robin._

_“She wants you,” Regina said. “You’ll have to hold her.” Robin frowned. This wasn’t part of the agreement but he, of course, took the little girl into his arms and climbed into the plane shaped seat. “This is too cute. I need a picture,” Regina exclaimed as she pulled out her phone. “Smile!”_

_“Alright, should we get started?” the girl asked. She took a tiny pair of scissors and began to line up where she wanted to cut._

_“Not too short,” Robin told the girl._

_“I promise not to take too much off.” Gently, she trimmed the hair in front of Addy’s eyes. When she was finished, she pulled Addy’s hair up into a cute tiny ponytail and placed a bow in her hair._

_“Oh my goodness, she looks so cute,” Regina exclaimed, once again snapping pictures. Robin couldn’t take the cuteness either. He hadn’t wanted Addy to lose her hair but he could see now that the haircut was needed. She smiled her toothy grin at him and Robin’s heart just melted. He loved this little girl so much. When the girl was finished, she handed Robin a cute little bag with a single lock of Addy’s dirty blonde hair._

_“For the baby book,” The girl told them. Regina took the hair and placed it in her purse as they paid. Then the three of them went out to get into the car._

_“See, I told you she’d look cute,” Regina told him._

_“Yes, love, you were right,” Robin conceded._

_“Now...what will it take to get you to let me cut Roland’s hair?”_

_“That is an argument for another day,” Robin replied with a smirk on his face. Two could play at that game._

 

After Addy, had finished her cake, Regina took her upstairs and gave her a quick bath, not wanting to keep her guests waiting much longer. When she went back downstairs, everyone was practically chomping at the bit for her to open up her presents. Snow and Charming had bought her two cute outfits and a stuffed horse that Addy absolutely loved. Emma had found a precious baby red leather jacket and Hook had gotten her a set of plush pirate toys. The gifts were practically endless. 

“So, is she walking yet?” Snow asked. 

“Not yet,” Robin replied. 

“She pulls herself up on stuff but she hasn’t actually taken any real steps yet,” Regina replied. She watched as Addy crawled around on the floor. From across the room, Addy spotted her favorite ladybug toy that was currently in Neal’s hands. Addy was determined if anything. She pushed herself up onto her two feet and eyed down the ladybug toy. Determined to get to it, she took a hesitant step towards the toy. And then she took another step...and then another. 

“Robin! She’s walking! She’s walking! Get the camera!” Regina exclaimed. “That’s right baby, keep coming,” She cooed. Everyone watched as Addy tottled her way over to where Neal was standing and reached for the ladybug toy. She grabbed onto it and refused to let go. She pulled the toy from Neal’s hands and fell down onto her butt. The little girl looked as happy as could be as she chewed on the stuffed ladybug. Everyone cheered and Regina picked up her little girl and kissed her cheek. “I am so proud of you!” She couldn’t believe it. Her little baby was one year old. She was walking and talking and giggling and smiling. Time was going by so quickly and Regina wanted to soak up every minute of it. After all, you only got to have one first birthday party and luckily for them, this one turned out to be pretty perfect. 


	10. The Runaway

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roland feels left out and forgotten and decides to make a drastic decision

Roland loved his sister. He really did…but sometimes, she was loud. Well, actually, she was always loud. Also, she took up a lot of his Mama and Papa’s time. They were always feeding Addy or comforting her as she cried or trying to get her to sleep. Before she was born, Roland used to read a book with his Mama every night before he went to sleep, but now that special moment had become a rather infrequent occasion. On more than one occasion, Roland has wandered over to his sister’s nursery, book in hand, to see if his Mama was ready to read with him. 

“Will you read with me, Mama?” He had asked. 

“I promise, in just a minute, honey,” She replied. “I just have to get your sister to stop crying,” she added, not bothering to look at him. She was more focused on shushing the screaming infant in her arms. Roland frowned and sadly walked into his room. He crawled into his bed and opened up the book. He was only six, so he wasn’t the best at reading yet but he decided to just look at the pictures. He waited and waited but soon realized that his Mama wasn’t coming. Roland could still hear his sister screaming. Frustrated, he rolled onto his side and sighed. He was awfully tired. He decided he’d just rest his eyes for a moment and hope that his Mama would be there soon. Eventually, however, his tiredness overtook him and Roland fell asleep, the storybook still in his hands. 

Later on, in the week, Roland woke up on Saturday morning practically bouncing out of bed. Today was the day that his Papa was going to take him out to the forest with the rest of his uncles and teach him to shoot. Roland knew that his Papa was amazing with a bow and arrow and Roland wanted to be exactly like him. Last Christmas, his Papa had bought him a smaller replica of his own bow that Roland was so excited about. After getting dressed,  Roland ran down the stairs and into the kitchen. 

“Papa! I have my bow! I’m ready to go,” he exclaimed. 

“Roland! Shh, I just got your sister to sleep,” Robin explained in a hushed tone.  

“Sorry Papa, but I have my bow. When can we go meet Little John and Uncle Will?” Roland asked. “You promised to teach me to shoot.” Robin’s face fell. He did make that promise. 

“I’m sorry, my boy,” Robin began. “But I have to stay and watch your sister. Mama got called into an important meeting and Henry is with Emma, so I have watch Addy.” 

“But-but you promised,” Roland said, his lip quivering. 

“We will go,” Robin told him. “It’ll just have to be later after Mama gets home. Is that alright?” Roland nodded sadly, even though it really wasn’t alright. “We can do something together at home though,” Robin offered. 

“I think I’m just going to play in my room,” Roland replied sadly before lumbering up the stairs and heading to his bedroom. Stupid baby. Addy always ruined everything. 

Things went on like that for a while. His Mama and Papa seemed to always be busy. If Addy wasn’t upset, Mama had to go to work. Roland also knew that Henry was getting ready to go off to college, so he was always studying for a big test that he was going to have to take, so he didn’t have time to play with him either. His Mama and Henry had also been gone a lot on weekends to see different colleges, leaving Roland once again on his own. However, today was going to be different. Today was his school concert and both Mama and Papa had promised to be there. They had both been so excited when he told them and that made Roland excited as well. He even had a solo in the show that he hadn’t told his parents about. He wanted that to be a surprise. Before the show began, Roland peeked from behind the curtain and looked into the audience. He didn’t see his Mama or Papa or Henry or even Addy. Roland felt himself get more nervous. What if they didn’t make it? What if they didn’t get to see his solo? 

“Alright everyone, let’s all get to our places so we can start the show,” The teacher announced. All the kids rushed to their places, climbing onto the bleachers. Roland took his spot on the front bleacher, directly in the middle. The lights in the auditorium turned dark and the spotlight pointed at the stage. The teacher began to conduct and Roland had no choice but to start singing, even though he still didn’t see his parents. After two songs, it came time for Roland’s solo. He walked up to the microphone that was much too tall for him. The teacher had to help him bring it down to his level. He looked out into the audience and swallowed thickly. He didn’t have anyone there to support him. The music began and Roland waited for his cue. However, when it came, he tried to sing but nothing came out. His hands were shaking and he was terrified. The teacher tried to help him by giving him the words, but Roland couldn’t move. His eyes began to fill with tears and before he knew it, his little legs were carrying him backstage as fast as they could go. Still crying, Roland ran out of the building and headed home. 

“They didn’t come!” he cried to himself. “They don’t care about me.” It was at that moment that Roland realized that he wasn’t just sad and embarrassed. He was angry. Why was everyone else so much more important than him? Then, a thought popped into his mind. Maybe he shouldn’t be in this family anymore. He could run away. Roland didn’t believe that anyone would truly care anyway. He grabbed his little red and blue rolling suitcase and stuffed some clothes and toys into it. Then he grabbed his favorite stuffed monkey and clutched it in his arms. “Come on monkey, we’ll go find our own home…” Roland said sadly as he walked out the front door and started making his way to the forest. He had lived in the forest once before and he could do it again. 

At the mayor’s office, Regina was sitting at her desk, buried under a mound of paperwork that she didn’t think she’d ever get to the bottom of. Suddenly, she heard her cell phone ring and smiled when she saw Robin’s picture flash across the screen. 

“Hello?” 

“Hello, my love,” Robin said. “I was just calling to see what you wanted to do for dinner.” 

“Maybe Granny’s tonight. I’m so tired. Just the thought of cooking is making me even more exhausted,” she replied honestly. 

“I think that can be arranged,” Robin replied with a laugh. “We’ll have to pick up Addy anyway. Granny was watching her so that I could do some work with the Merry Men.”  Suddenly, Regina heard a chime from her computer that she recognized. It happened every time a reminder popped up. She looked at the screen and gasped. It said “Roland School Concert.” Oh God! She had forgotten! Why hadn’t this reminder gone off earlier? 

“Robin! Please tell me you went to Roland’s school concert?” 

“What do you mean? Isn’t that next week?” Robin asked. 

“No! I just got a notification that it was today,” Regina replied, his voice full of panic. 

“Oh, God...How did we forget?” 

“I don’t know. But he’s probably still waiting for us at the school. All the kids were supposed to stay after to practice before the concert,” Regina told him. 

“I’ll go and get him. Goodness, he’s going to be so upset,” Robin replied. “How are we going to make this up to him?” 

“I don’t know,” Regina sighed sadly. “I don’t think I’ve ever felt like this horrible of a mother. He’s gonna hate us.” 

“The best that we can do is apologize and try to make it up to him,” Robin replied. “I’ll call you when we’re on our way home, okay love?” 

“Okay,” Regina replied. After hanging up the phone, Regina dropped her head into her hands. She felt truly terrible for missing Roland’s concert. With Addy needing so much of her attention and Henry going through the tedious process of applying for college, so much of her time was taken up. Roland had kind of fallen through the cracks. There were only so many hours in a day, but that didn’t excuse her from practically ignoring her middle son. Feeling sick to her stomach, Regina decided to just head home. She wasn’t going to be able to focus enough to get any more work done anyway.  She packed up her stuff and headed home. The house was quiet when she got there. Henry was still out with Violet, which was actually good because she didn’t want him to be here when they talked to Roland. She had a feeling this was not going to be an easy conversation. She sat down at the kitchen counter as she racked her mind for what to possibly say to her young son. Suddenly, her phone began to ring again. Regina immediately picked it up. “Robin, did you get him? Are you on your way home?” 

“He wasn’t there.” 

“What do you mean he wasn’t there?” Regina exclaimed. 

“They said he forgot the words during a solo and ran off. They tried to find him but he was too fast,” Robin told her. “Is he home?” 

“I don’t know,” Regina replied. “Roland! Roland! Are you home, sweetie?” She yelled as she ran up the staircase. She ran to Roland’s room and opened the door. “Roland?” She looked around. He wasn’t there...and neither was his suitcase or his monkey. He didn’t go anywhere without that monkey. It had taken two weeks of convincing to get him to stop bringing it to school. 

“Robin, he’s not here! His suitcase is gone and so is his monkey,” Regina said, her eyes welling with tears. “I-I think he ran away.” 

“Oh God… I’ll be home soon. Just wait for me and we’ll go out together.” Robin replied. 

“I’m going to call Emma and Hook and the Charmings, the more people the better,” Regina replied. 

“Okay, that’s a good idea,” Robin told her. “Regina, we will find him.” 

“Okay…” She replied through a sob. “I love you.” 

“I love you too,” Robin answered before hanging up the phone. After hanging up, Regina called everyone and told them that Roland was missing. Instantly, the gang told her that they’d be over in a couple of minutes to look for him. Regina was left in the little boy’s room alone once again. She looked around and smiled when she found his favorite green cloak from the Enchanted Forest lying on the ground. He didn’t use it much anymore because cloaks weren’t something many people wore in this land. However, the little boy liked to use it as a cape when he’d play superheroes, so he had kept it. Regina held it up to her face and instantly, Roland’s sweet smell hit her. She had to find him if it was the last thing she did. If something happened to him, Regina didn’t know what she’d do with herself. 

She was drawn from her thoughts when she heard the front door open. “Regina?” A voice called. It was Robin. She raced down the stairs and flew into his arms. 

“We have to find him.” 

“We will,” Robin told her. “Everyone is outside. Get your coat and let’s go.” Regina nodded, pulled on her coat and followed Robin outside. They decided to break up into groups. Emma and Hook would head to the beach. Snow and Charming would look in town and Regina and Robin would head to the forest because Robin knew the forest better than anyone. 

“We only have a little time. It’s getting dark,” Robin told everyone. 

“And the weather isn’t looking too great…” Emma remarked as she looked at the dark clouds in the sky. 

“Let’s just go. Make sure to call if anyone finds him,” David said before everyone headed their separate ways.  

“The forest is so big. I don’t know how we’ll ever find him,” Regina said. 

“We have to,” Robin told her. “Isn’t there something you can do? Something magical?” Regina thought for a moment. 

“A locator potion!” She exclaimed. “It’ll lead us right to him.” It was then that she realized she was still holding Roland’s green cloak in her hands. She quickly conjured up a bit of the locator potion from her vault and poured it over the cloak, which lit up and began to float away, presumably in Roland’s direction. “Now we’ll be able to find him.” 

“And not a moment too soon,” Robin replied as he felt raindrops begin to fall and a loud crack of thunder echoed through the sky. 

Deeper in the forest, Roland was running as fast as he could. He was terrified. It had gotten darker much faster than he had expected it to and he hadn’t accounted for the rain. He realized that he didn’t have a tent like he normally did when he stayed with his Papa and his Uncles. He also didn’t have any water or food. Roland realized he had made a huge mistake. He had also never been a big fan of thunderstorms. They scared him. They were loud and the lightning was too bright. And, now he was completely soaking wet and cold. Roland started to run to try and find shelter, but he ended up tripping over a tree root. He fell to the ground, his knee taking the majority of the impact. Roland hissed in pain as he brought his knee up to examine it. There was an angry red brush burn staring back at him. “Ow,” Roland cried, clutching his knee. He just wanted to go home. He wanted his Mama to clean off his knee and kiss it to make it feel better. He just wanted to be in own bed with fresh, dry pajamas. This had been a mistake...a big, big, mistake. Limping on his bad knee,  Roland had found his way into hollowed out old tree that had fallen. It was dirty and smelly, but at least it was dry. He shivered in his wet clothes and clutched his monkey tight to his chest. “It’s gonna be okay, monkey,” he whispered. “We’re okay.” Suddenly, another pang of thunder rang out and Roland jumped. “I want to go home,” he whimpered. “I want to go home.”

Luckily for Roland, Regina and Robin had almost found their way to him. They were racing after the cloak, completely drenched. “We have to be almost there,” Robin replied, breathlessly. Regina didn’t reply. She was too focused on following the cloak and finding Roland. 

“Roland!” They both yelled. “Roland, where are you?” Then, out of the corner of her eye, Regina caught a glimpse of a tiny red and blue suitcase that she recognized to be Roland’s. 

“Roland!” She screamed as she darted over to the fallen tree. 

“Mama?” Roland replied, peeking his head out of the tree. “Mama!” he exclaimed, realizing she was in fact truly there. He crawled out from inside the tree and ran straight into Regina’s arms. 

“Oh God, you’re okay. You’re okay.” She exclaimed, holding him close to her chest. 

“I’m so sorry I ran away, Mama.” Roland sobbed. 

“It’s okay,” She told him. “You’re safe. That’s all that matters.” Robin was by their sides in an instant and took his son into his arms. 

“Oh my boy, you’re safe. Thank God.” Robin cried. “Please never scare us like that again.” 

“I’m sorry,” The little boy cried out once more.

“We’ll talk more when we get home,” Regina said. “Let’s just get out of this rain.” The three of them wandered out of the forest and back to the mayoral mansion. Robin made sure to call everyone else so they could stop looking and go home and get dry as well. Once inside the house, Regina took Roland upstairs and got him changed. She also bandaged his knee and kissed it, like a mother should, to make it stop hurting. When Roland was situated, Regina got herself changed and Robin did as well. Then, the three of them settled in on the couch for a long overdue talk. 

“Roland, honey, we are so sorry that we missed your concert,” Regina told him. “I don’t know what happened. We were just so busy...and we made a mistake.” 

“I was supposed to have a solo…” the little boy replied sadly. “But I got too nervous and I forgot all the words and you and Papa weren’t there, so I got scared and I ran.” 

“Oh baby, I am so sorry,” Regina said pulling him into her arms. 

“Roland, Mama and I are very sorry that happened,” Robin told him. “We don’t know how we’ll make it up to you, but I have to know. Why did you run away?” Roland shrugged his shoulders. 

“You can tell us, honey. We won’t get mad, no matter what,” Regina told him.

“I didn’t think you guys cared about me anymore,” he said in practically a whisper. Regina felt like someone had just shot her in the heart. It killed her that Roland felt that way. She loved that little boy with all her heart. 

“Why would you think that?” Robin asked softly. 

“Because,” Roland answered. “You never have any time for me anymore. You’re always taking care of Addy or helping Henry with college. Papa, you promised to teach me to shoot an arrow just like you and you didn’t. And, Mama, you used to read with me every night and now you never do.” Regina and Robin looked at one another sheepishly. Roland was right. They had been ignoring him, not on purpose, of course, but they had been ignoring him.

“Oh sweetheart, we’re so sorry that we made you feel like that,” Regina told him. “It’s just...Addy is a baby so she needs a lot of attention. And, applying for college is very stressful so we wanted to help Henry as much as we could. But that doesn’t excuse us in any way for making you feel that way. Roland, we both love you so much.” 

“You do?” the little boy asked. 

“Of course we do,” Robin told him. 

“How about we have a Roland day?” Regina suggested. “You get to choose whatever you want to do with just me and Papa.” 

“No Addy or Henry?” Roland asked. 

“No, it’ll just be the three of us. A special day just for you,” She replied. 

“I think that would be fun,” the little boy agreed. “Mama?” he asked. 

“Yes, baby,” 

“Am I still your little knight?” he asked. 

“Always and forever, my love,” Regina replied as she took the little boy into her arms and held onto him as tightly as she could, not wanting to ever let go. Tonight had been scary for sure but it was a wake-up call that they all needed. Regina and Robin would make sure no matter what that Roland felt loved and included in whatever they did. They loved that little boy too much to ever let him feel like that ever again.


	11. Camping

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roland decides for his special day that he wants to go on a family camping trip. Regina is less than thrilled.

When Regina had offered up a special day just for Roland, she had assumed that the little boy would have chosen the movies or ice cream. She never could have predicted that Roland would request that the family go...camping. “Are you sure, sweetheart?” Regina asked. “You really want to go camping?”   
“Yup!” Roland replied instantly, evident enthusiasm in his voice.  “And I know it was just supposed to be the three of us but I want the whole family to come. I want us to be together.” 

“Well, I think it’s a fine idea, my boy,” Robin told him as he ruffled the curly locks on the boy’s head. 

“I don’t know if taking Addy is such a great idea,” Regina said, trying desperately to get out of going. She wasn’t an outdoorsy type of girl. She didn’t sleep on the ground or eat fish out of a dirty river. It simply wasn’t her thing. “No one takes a baby camping,” she added. 

“Roland lived at a campsite for the first three years of his life,” Robin retorted with a laugh. 

“Well, you know that she’s getting over that little cold that she had,” Regina tried once more. “I’m just not sure that sleeping out in the cold is such a great idea. You three go and have a great time. I’ll stay with Addy.” 

“No Mama, you have to come with us,” Roland pouted. “It won’t be the same without you.” 

“I’m sure that Grandma would gladly watch her for the night,” Henry offered. “She’s always talking about getting her hands on a smaller baby. If you ask me, I think she’s got a bit of baby fever.” 

“Sounds like a good idea to me,” Robin told the boy. “I’ll give her a call,” he added before heading into the kitchen to call Snow. Mentally, Regina was panicking. She did not want to go camping. She loved her boys. She really did...but camping! No, no way. Within a few minutes, Robin returned from the kitchen with a smile on his face. 

“Snow said that she would gladly take her for a night,” he announced. “So, I guess it’s settled. The Locksley-Mills family is going camping.” Henry and Roland cheered and Regina tried her best to look excited, but deep down she was less than thrilled. 

They spent the next two days getting prepared for their camping trip. Robin had been adamant about just sleeping under the stars, but Regina had put her foot down. 

“What if it rains?” She retorted. “We’ll need tents.” 

“The beauty of camping is sleeping under the stars, letting the wind brush against your face,” Robin told her. “There’s nothing like it.” 

“I’m just saying that I’d feel more comfortable if we had tents,” Regina tried once more as she nervously rubbed her hands together. Robin could see that Regina was anxious about this trip. He wasn’t an idiot. He knew that Regina did not share his love of the outdoors, but she was trying and that was what mattered. 

“Okay, my love,” Robin finally conceded. “If you want tents, we’ll have tents.” Regina let out a sigh of relief. She was not looking forward to this trip but at least they’d have tents now.  The next morning, the family woke up bright and early. They gathered up their camping supplies and packed it up into the car. Regina also made sure to gather everything that Snow would need to take care of Addy for the next two days. When everything was stowed away, they drove over Snow and David’s apartment. Once there, Regina got out of the car and moved to grab Addy from the backseat. The little girl had managed to fall asleep on the short drive over so Regina tried her best to extract her from the car seat without waking her up. 

“I’ll be back in a few minutes,” Regina replied as she carried the still sleeping baby and diaper bag into the Charming’s apartment building. After climbing up two flights of stairs, she stopped in front of the door and knocked. She waited a moment before Snow opened the door with a ridiculously huge smile on her face. 

“Look at that little angel!” Snow cooed softly, looking at Addy’s sleeping form in Regina’s arms. 

“Hopefully, she stays a little angel for you,” Regina replied as she handed the baby over to the other woman. Snow instantly cuddled the little girl and rocked her back and forth. “Thank you for watching her.”   
“No problem!” Snow replied. “I was a bit surprised when Robin called and said you were going...camping. You’ve never been crazy about the outdoors.” 

“I like the outdoors fine enough…” Regina lied. 

“Please, I was the one who lived in the forest while you were trying to kill me,” Snow retorted. “You spent three days total in the forest...while you were still trying to kill me and you barely lasted that long.” 

“I was practically dying from a very dangerous wound infection. You wouldn’t want to be in the forest either,” Regina countered. 

“It was a scratch,” Snow told her. “You were not dying.” 

“Whatever,” Regina replied as she rolled her eyes. “Anyway, there are extra outfits in the diaper bag, diapers, formula, toys. If she gets really upset, singing always works.” 

“You sing?” 

“Don’t start with me,” Regina warned. Suddenly, she heard the car horn and it was clear that the boys were getting impatient. “Okay, I have to get going. Bye sweetie,” Regina added as she leaned over and pressed a kiss to Addy’s forehead. She gave her daughter one last look and felt a pang of guilt in her heart. 

“She’ll be fine,” Snow reassured her. 

“I haven’t left her overnight before,” Regina replied hesitantly, tears prickling in the corners of her eyes. 

“She’ll eat, play with Neal and then she’ll go to sleep and you’ll be picking her up before you know it.” Regina sighed, knowing she was right. She gave Snow a small smile and then headed back downstairs to the car. 

“Camping, here we come!” Robin replied as Regina got in the passenger seat. Henry and Roland cheered from the back seat while Regina mentally prepared herself for what was to come. The campsite wasn’t that far out of town so they got there in a little under an hour. “Alright boys, let’s set up camp,” Robin announced, getting out of the car. Together, he, Henry and Roland started to unload the car. The three boys then started to put together the tents. Regina stood off to the side just watching. At first, it was nice watching the three boys do this activity together. Henry and Roland hung on Robin’s every word as he showed them how to force the white poles into the orange netting of the tent. They worked together flawlessly and Regina couldn’t help but smile at the family that they had become. However, it was hard to focus on being happy when she was spending every other minute swatting mosquitoes from her face. 

“Mama look! The tents are all set up!” Roland exclaimed as he ran over to her. 

“I can see that,” Regina told him. “You all did a great job,” 

“Well, Roland, my boy, this is your day, so what would you like to do first?” Robin asked, walking over to the smaller boy. 

“I wanna go fishing!” 

“Then fishing it is!” Robin told him. “I know the best fishing spot around,” he added as he picked up their fishing poles and tackle box. “It’s this way,” They trekked through the forest until they came to a beautiful, freshwater creek. Henry didn’t waste a minute. He had been itching to get back to fishing since his first lesson with Robin. Effortlessly, Henry set up his rod and weaved the worm onto the hook, just as Robin had shown him.  Then, Robin moved to help Roland, who was jumping up and down because he was so excited. 

“Shhh,” Robin warned. “If you’re not quiet, you’ll scare away all the fish,” Roland instantly quieted and watched Robin intensely as he showed him every part of the fishing rod and how to use it. While she was waiting, Regina picked up the fishing pole. She had never been fishing before and she honestly didn’t see the appeal. Fish were gross. They were slimy and cold. And, the actual sport (if you could even call it that) was just boring. You just stood there and prayed that a fish would be stupid enough to eat a floating worm and get the hook stuck in their mouth. She tried to sneak glances at Robin as he set up Roland’s rod and do the same to her own. “Would you like some help, my love?” Robin asked. 

“No, I’ve got it," She replied and Robin gave her a look. 

“You’ve been fishing before?” he asked. 

“Well...no but it can’t be that hard,” Regina retorted. 

“Suit yourself,” Robin mumbled quietly as he moved closer to Roland to make sure that he was doing alright. Regina fumbled with her line but eventually managed to get it to a point where she could put the hook on. Then, she realized that she needed to bait it. Looking at the white tub of worms and dirt, she grimaced. She really didn’t want to touch that. Her hand hesitated over the bucket. Robin looked over at Regina and couldn’t help but laugh. He could see how much Regina did not want to touch those worms. However, he had learned over time that if Regina wanted to do something by herself, he should let her, no matter what the consequences. Eventually, he watched as she tentatively reached her hand into the bucket and grabbed onto a worm. 

“Gross…” Regina groaned. She put the worm on the hook and then let out a sigh of relief. She actually felt a bit proud of herself. This had been a new experience for her and she had done it by herself. Now, all she had to do was cast the line. She threw the line over her shoulder just as she had seen Henry do earlier. When she went to pull the line back, she realized it was stuck. Looking over her shoulder, she saw that the line that she had just spent about twenty minutes getting right was stuck in a bush. “Come on,” She groaned, pulling hard on the line. She had worked too hard on this to just give up. Regina gave one last pull and suddenly, she felt the line snap and Regina was sent tumbling into the stream. 

Robin and the boys were pulled from their own fishing experience at the sound of Regina’s high pitched scream. They looked over and saw Regina lying in the rushing water. “Regina!” Robin exclaimed, running over to her. He waded into the water and grabbed onto her. She leaned against him and coughed out the water that was currently occupying her lungs. “Are you alright?” Robin asked. 

“I’m fine,” Regina replied, her cheeks flushed pink from embarrassment. 

“What happened?”

“I-I just slipped,” Regina told him, her arms wrapped self-consciously around her soaking wet body. 

“Are you hurt?” Robin asked, his voice full of concern. 

“No,” Regina replied. She wasn’t hurt physically, but her pride had definitely just taken a blow. “I’m just cold and wet,” she added as she shivered.  Robin instantly took his coat off and placed it around Regina’s shoulders. Then, he pulled the woman into his embrace and rubbed her shoulders in an attempt to get her to feel warmer. 

“I think I’m just gonna head back to the campsite and change,” Regina told him. 

“Do you want me to come with you?” 

“No, stay with the boys. Their fun shouldn’t have to end because I was clumsy,” she replied. 

“You promise me that you’re not hurt?” Robin whispered once more. He knew Regina. Even if she was hurt, it would take a lot to get her to show it. 

“I promise...I’m okay,” Regina told him. “I just want to be dry.” She broke from his grasp and began walking back to the campsite. She hadn’t wanted to come camping in the first place and now here she was wet, cold and embarrassed.  Luckily for her, she still had her magic. With a flick of her wrist, Regina was wearing a new, dry outfit. She knew she should go back and be with the boys - get back on the horse or the fishing rod so to speak. However, Regina was still feeling very embarrassed and she honestly just wanted to go home. She decided to sit out by the tent and just take in nature instead. She sat down and looked around her. She was surrounded by green trees. Honestly, everything around her was just green and the whole environment just felt suffocating. Nature was supposed to feel freeing and peaceful, but for Regina, it felt like nothing more than a green prison. Trying to distract herself, she decided to grab her phone and call Snow. She heard the dial tone ring a few times before Snow’s perky voice came over the line. 

“Regina? How’s everything going?” 

“Oh just great,” Regina lied. “I’m having a great time.” 

“I can tell when your lying, Regina,” Snow replied with a laugh. “I’ve known you for too long.” 

“Fine. I hate camping. You were right. The outdoors and I are not compatible. I tried to fish and ended up falling into the stupid stream. I-I just wanna come home,” She replied honestly.

“I’m sorry,” Snow replied. “Wanna see something to make you feel better?” 

“Sure,” Regina replied.

“Click the facetime button,” Snow told her. Regina did what she was told and in a moment, Addy’s sweet face popped up on the scream. Her little face lit up when she saw Regina and a huge smile formed on her face. “Say hi, Mama!” Snow cooed as she hoisted the baby higher on her lap. 

“Hi sweetie,” Regina cooed. “Are you having fun with Auntie Snow?” she asked. Addy started cooing and babbling back to her. It was funny because she sounded like she was really trying to have a conversation with her mother. 

“Addy, tell Mama. Tell her what we did today,” Snow said in a singsong voice. “We played. We took a nap. We ate some peaches and you spit them out all over Auntie Snow,” Regina couldn’t contain her laughter at that point. “Like mother, like daughter,” Snow shot back at her step-mother. 

“Hey, I have never spit peaches at you,” Regina replied sarcastically. 

“No, you just tried to murder me,” Snow retorted with a smirk. 

“Fair enough,” Regina agreed with a smile. Suddenly, she heard the sound of footsteps and figured that it must be Robin and the boys coming back from fishing. “Hey Snow, I have to go. The boys are coming back to the campsite.” 

“Alright, we’ll both see you tomorrow,” Snow replied. “Say goodnight, Mama,” she cooed to Addy, who smiled at her mother on the screen and reached her hands out towards her. 

“Goodnight, sweet girl,” Regina cooed back before hitting the red “end call” button. As she turned off the phone, she heard a little voice calling her name. 

“Mama! Mama! Look at all the fish we caught!” Roland exclaimed as he ran over to her with a fish in his hands. 

“Wow, I see,” Regina replied, grimacing a little as the little boy stuck the slimy fish in her face. 

“Papa caught three and Henry caught two, so we have six all together!” Roland replied enthusiastically. “Now Papa’s gonna fry them up.” 

“Oh good,” Regina lied through her teeth. This camping trip could not come to an end sooner. She’d rather starve than eat those fish.  Nevertheless, Regina watched as Robin fried up the fish and accepted a plate of it when Robin handed it to her because she didn’t want to cause any problems. 

“Eat up everyone,” Robin said, a smile on his face. “I hope that my fish frying skills are to your liking.” Roland and Henry started to eat. 

“It tastes really good, Robin,” Henry said as he took another big bite of the fish. 

“Yeah, Papa! It tastes yummy,” the younger boy agreed as he scarfed down the fish on his plate. Regina looked down at the fish and grimaced. She stuck her fork into the piece of fish on her plate and tentatively brought it up to her mouth. Feeling like she was being watched, Regina placed the fish inside of her mouth and began to chew. She hated it instantly. The fishy taste made her want to spit it back out, but she managed to swallow it. 

“How is it, love?” Robin asked. 

“Oh it’s very good. You should cook more at home,” Regina replied as she took another forced bite. Swallowing thickly, she set her plate on the log next to her and stood up. “I’ll be right back okay. I’m just gonna go call Snow and check on Addy.” She headed off towards the trail, but instead of pulling out her phone, she used her magic and conjured up a cheeseburger instead. She was not going to leave herself starving tonight. It was great that the boys liked the fish, but she just didn’t. She stood in the brush and scarfed down the cheeseburger

“God, this is good,” She mumbled quietly to herself. When she was finished, she wiped off her fingers and headed back to camp to join the boys.  

“How was Addy?” Robin asked, catching Regina off guard. 

“Oh good,” Regina replied after a moment. “I guess she spit peaches all over Snow, which is weird because she likes peaches so I’m thinking she did it on purpose, which is actually funnier.” 

“Mama, Papa said we can have smores now!” Roland said, cutting her off. Clearly, the idea of having the marshmallow and chocolate treat was very exciting to the young boy. 

“Really?” Regina replied. “Those do sound good,” she agreed. 

“So, we can have them now?” Roland asked. 

“You’re still hungry after eating that fish?” she asked. Roland nodded his head rapidly. “And Henry, you’re still hungry too?” 

“I’m a teenage boy. I’m always hungry,” Henry replied as he finished off his second piece of fish. 

“Well, then, I guess we better start making some smores.” Regina agreed. They grabbed sticks from the campsite and grabbed the packages of marshmallows, chocolate and graham crackers. Regina put a marshmallow on each of their four sticks and they all stood around the fire, watching as the white color of the marshmallows turned brown. Regina actually felt herself begin to smile. This was the first moment during the entire trip that she had actually enjoyed. Suddenly, she began to feel a sense of intense itching. She looked down and gasped when she saw a red, scaly rash erupting on her lower legs. 

“Regina, what is it?” Robin asked. 

“My legs…” She mumbled. He looked down and his eyes grew wide. 

“It looks like poison ivy. I’ve had it enough times to know,” he replied. “Where would you have gotten that?” 

“I’m not sure,” Regina lied. She was pretty sure she knew exactly where she had come in contact with the poisonous plant. Magic always came with a price. She knew that. However, poison ivy hardly seemed warranted for simply conjuring a cheeseburger. Feeling the overwhelming itch, she leaned down and began to scratch at her legs. 

“Love, that’s only going to make it worse,” Robin replied. “We should go and get you some medicine.” 

“No, I’ll be fine,” Regina told him. “I’m not going to ruin the trip.”   
“Mom, it’s fine,” Henry tried to tell her. “We understand. That can’t be fun,” he added, grimacing as he looked at his mother’s red legs. 

“I think I’ll just take my smore to my tent.” She said. She took the treat into her and Robin’s tent and took a seat on the ground. Instantly, she started scratching at her legs. She had drunk poisons that were less uncomfortable than this poison ivy. 

“I thought I’d find you like this,” Robin said as he opened the flap to their tent. “Stop scratching. You’re making it worse.” 

“But it itches,” She whined, still scratching at her skin. 

“Will you please just let me take you home and get you some medicine?” Robin said, pleading with her. 

“No, I am fine.”

“Regina, you can just admit it,” Robin replied. 

“Admit what?” She countered. 

“You hate this! All of it! The outdoors, fishing, the bugs, and strange plants. You hate it all,” Robin exclaimed.

“I don’t-” 

“Regina,” She said sternly. 

“Fine! I hate it! I hate everything about this, but I love our son so I’m trying,” Regina retorted. “I tried to eat your fish. I really did, but it was disgusting. Fish is the grossest food I have ever eaten. So, I conjured myself a freakin cheeseburger and apparently I was standing in a patch of poison ivy because now my legs are on fire and I think I actually want to rip my skin off!” She looked up at Robin, who had a huge smirk on his face that he was trying to cover with his hands. “You think this is funny? Are you serious?” she yelled. 

“I’m sorry, love,” Robin replied, still laughing. “I’ve just never seen you throw a tantrum like this.” 

“Tantrum?!?” Regina boomed. 

“Relax, I think it’s cute,” the thief replied. “I think you’re cute, even when you’re dangerously angry and covered in a contagious rash.”

“You’re annoying…” Regina groaned as she turned onto her side and scratched at her leg. Robin laid down next to the angry woman and placed his arms around her. “Don’t touch me. You’ll get this stupid rash.” 

“I’m practically immune. I’ve dealt with this plant so many times,” Robin told her. He began to rub his hands softly over her body. 

“Robin...the boys.,” She said. “And I don’t exactly feel very...sexy right now.” 

“You’re always sexy to me,” Robin told her. He pulled Regina close to him and cuddled her close. They lay there for a moment before Regina spoke up. 

“Robin…”   
“Yes, love?” he asked. 

“There’s a rock under my ass.” Robin laughed, pressed a kiss to Regina’s temple and then scooted over so Regina could be more comfortable. Then, cuddled in one another’s embrace, they both tried to fall asleep. 

Over in Henry and Roland’s tent, the boys were still wide awake. “I think that’s enough chocolate for you,” Henry laughed as he looked at his younger brother with chocolate all over his mouth. 

“But smores are so good, Henry!” Roland exclaimed. 

“I get it, but if you keep eating them you’re gonna get a stomachache,” Henry told him. “How about we do something else?” 

“Just you and me?” Roland asked. Henry nodded his head. 

“Would you like to hear a scary story? People always tell scary stories when they go camping,” Henry told him. 

“Okay…” Roland said nervously. He wanted to be grown up like Henry, but he didn’t really like scary things. 

“Okay, here we go,” Henry said. “It’s said that a scary creature that’s part wolf, bear and part lion lived in these woods long ago. It was called a Wobion. Once, there was a man camping in these very woods...all by himself. Everything was going just fine, until the sun went down. When it got dark, the wind started to howl and so did the wolves in the forest.” 

“There are wolves in this forest?” Roland asked, now hiding under his blanket. 

“Oh, tons of them,” Henry told his younger brother. “Anyway, the man started to get worried about the wolves coming to his campsite, so he decided to just hunker down in his tent for the night and hope for the best. He felt safe for a while, but then he started hearing noises outside his tent that sounded like the paws of a large animal. The man tried not to make a sound so that maybe the “wolves” would leave. However, it wasn’t a wolf. Without warning, the flap to the man’s tent flew open and the head of a strange animal erupted into the tent. The man screamed and the beast roared back at him. It took its giant teeth and tore the man limb from limb, killing him instantly. They say that on full moons, the wobion comes out and looks for his new prey and when he’s finished eating them, he takes all of his victims' bones back to his den and keeps them as his trophies,” Henry looked up at Roland who now looked scared out of his mind. 

“B-But Henry,isn’t tonight a full moon?” Roland stuttered. Henry looked out of the flap of the tent and saw the bright full moon staring back at him. 

“Yeah, I guess it is,” Henry replied. “But we better go to sleep. It’s getting pretty late.” 

“But Henry, what about the Wobian? It’s gonna get us!”

“It’s just a story, Roland. I made it up. It’s just a ghost story,”  Henry told him. 

“But what about the man? What about his bones? What if we’re the Wobian’s next prey?” Roland exclaimed. 

“God...this was a bad idea. The Wobian is not real. I made it up. Just go to sleep,” Henry told him before rolling over and huddling in his sleeping bag. Roland got into his own sleeping back and cuddled his monkey. He couldn’t get himself to go to sleep. He wanted to believe Henry that the Wobian wasn’t real...but what if it was. Around midnight, the wind outside picked up and started to whistle through the tent. Roland woke up and listened. Suddenly, he heard the sound of a wolf howling in the distance and Roland’s heart started to beat fast. It was just like the story. 

“Henry! Henry!” Roland said, shaking his older brother. 

“Roland, what?” he murmured sleepily. 

“I heard a wolf! It could be the Wobion!” 

“How many times do I have to tell you? It’s not real. I was stupid to tell you that story,” Henry groaned. Then, they both heard another howl. 

“It’s getting closer!” 

“I’m sure it’s just Ruby. It’s wolf’s time for her,” Henry told him. “She won’t hurt us.” 

“No...I don’t believe you.  I wanna go home,” Roland said. “I wanna go home now.” He grabbed his monkey and suddenly bolted out of the tent. 

“Roland wait!” Henry yelled after him. The little boy bolted to his parent’s tent and dove inside. 

“Mama! Papa! We have to go home now!” Roland demanded as he dived between his parents. 

“Roland?” Robin muttered sleepily. 

“What is it?” Regina mumbled. 

“We have to go! The Wobian is gonna get us!” Roland told them. 

“The what?” they both asked. 

“The Wobian! It’s part wolf, part bear, and part lion! It’s gonna tear us limb from limb and take our bones as trophies.” Roland exclaimed. Robin and Regina looked at one another, completely confused. 

“I think I can explain…” Henry said softly as he peeked his head into the tent. “I may have told him a scary story…” 

“A scary story?” Regina said sternly. “Henry, he’s six. What were you thinking?” 

“I was just trying to give him a good camping experience. Everyone tells ghost stories. I tried to tell him it wasn’t real.” Henry replied, trying to defend himself. 

“Roland, did you hear Henry? He made it up okay. You can just go to sleep. It’ll be alright,” Robin told him. 

“No Papa, I wanna go home. I don’t wanna stay here anymore. I don’t like camping anymore,” Roland whimpered. Robin sighed and looked to Regina. 

“He’s awfully scared, Robin,” Regina said. “Maybe we should just head home?” 

“Fine, let’s go,” Robin replied. It was too late to argue with anyone. Without saying anything, they packed up their things and the family piled into the car. Almost instantly, Henry and Roland fell asleep in the backseat. “Don’t pretend you’re not happy,” Robin said with a smirk. 

“He was scared, Robin.” 

“And we could have gotten him back to sleep if we tried. We could have gone home in the morning,”  Robin replied. “Just admit it. You wanted to go home and sleep in a bed.” 

“Fine, Robin. You’re right,” Regina admitted. “I wanted to sleep in a bed because if that stupid rock found it’s way under my ass one more time, I was gonna lose it. Next time someone suggests camping, I will be staying at home. I am not an outdoorsy kind of girl and I am fine with that. I don’t need mosquitos, slimy fish or poison ivy in my life. This will be my first and last camping trip.” And with that, the argument was done. Robin knew that he couldn’t change Regina’s mind, no matter how hard he tried. The first - and last Locksley-Mills family camping trip had definitely been a bust, but at least they’d have the memories to laugh about one day. 


	12. A Quiet Night In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regina has been working too hard and Robin makes it his mission to get her to relax.

Robin sighed, looking towards the clock. It was nearly 9 o’clock and Regina still wasn’t home. He knew that nothing was wrong because this wasn’t the first time this had happened this week. Regina had been working tirelessly to try and fix the town budget. It was apparently a mess because Robin hadn’t seen his fiancé all week. He had gone to her office to check on her two nights ago and the woman was barely able to acknowledge his presence. Her nose had been buried in paperwork and a pair of black framed glasses sat perched on the edge on her nose. Robin had seen those glasses a few times before, but they didn’t come out often. Regina always insisted that her vision was perfect and she didn’t need glasses. However, Robin saw right through her act when he watched her squint at the newspaper in the morning or the books that she kept by the nightstand to read before she went to bed. The mere fact that Regina had accepted her poor vision and had put the glasses on let Robin know just how tired she was. 

Rubbing at his own eyes, Robin decided he better go to bed. There was no telling how late Regina would be getting home. Roland had begged him to stay up until Regina came home so he could get his bedtime kiss. Normally, Regina also read books with him before bed, but that hadn’t happened in a few days either. Robin tried to fill in but his attempts were only met with “You don’t read them like Mama.” Eventually, Robin was forced to carry a sleeping little boy from the living room couch to his own bed. 

Addy had been having a rough time as well. The little girl who was normally glued to her mother’s hip had been fussy and no one seemed to satisfy her, not Henry or Roland, or even Robin. When Regina put the little girl to bed all she had to do was hold her on her lap against her chest and let the little girl lull herself to sleep while listening to the sound of her mother’s heartbeat. Robin, however, had to spend nearly an hour walking around with the little girl in his arms until her eyelids gradually grew heavier and she eventually fell asleep. His attempts normally didn’t go well because as soon as Robin set the little girl in her crib, she’d wake herself up and wail. Not knowing what else to do, Robin had taken to letting his daughter cry herself to sleep, which was never easy to listen to. The only person in the family that seemed to be able to sleep soundly in Regina’s absence was Henry. Being a typical teenager, he couldn’t care less if his mother was home or not. He was content staying up late most nights and just reading comic books. 

After heading upstairs, Robin pulled on a white t-shirt and a pair of red and black boxers and climbed into bed. He nestled himself under the covers and rolled onto his side. Even though he was very tired, Robin couldn’t fall asleep. He needed Regina in his arms to be able to shut his mind off and slip into unconsciousness. He lay there for a while until he heard the sound of the front door opening. Glancing at the clock, Robin realized it nearly eleven o’clock. He listened to the sound of Regina’s high heels as she walked up the wooden staircase towards their bedroom. When she got there, Robin reached over and turned on the light on his bedside table.

“God, you scared me!” She gasped, clutching at her chest. “I didn’t think you’d still be awake.”   
“ _You_ shouldn’t still be up, my love,” Robin replied. “You’re working too hard.” 

“The budget is just a mess,” Regina said, flopping down onto her back on their bed. “I’m trying to figure everything out but it’s just taking forever.” 

“Maybe you just need a break,” Robin suggested. “A day to clear your head and start back fresh.” 

“I don’t think I can spare a day,” She replied with a sigh. “We’re going to discuss the budget at the next town meeting and I am not going into the lion’s den without being prepared. The people in this town can be brutal.” Regina ran her hands over her face and squeezed the bridge of her nose, a clear sign of her exhaustion. 

“Love, get your pajamas on and come to bed. I can’t fall asleep without you,” Robin coaxed as he ran his fingers gently over Regina’s arm. 

“I don’t think I can move,” She replied with a laugh, her eyelids heavy from exhaustion. Robin smirked at his fiancé. He got out of bed and walked over to their shared closet. 

“What pajamas do you want, love?” There was no reply. “Regina?” he called once more. Robin walked out of the closet and found Regina fast asleep on top of the covers, still dressed in her dress and heels. With a smile on his face, Robin walked over and slipped off his girlfriend’s shoes and threw them to the side of the room. Regina was like dead weight when she was asleep so Robin knew he wasn’t going to be able to get her dress off of her. He pulled back the covers before lifting her up gently and positioning in bed. After lying her tired body down, Robin covered her up, pressed a kiss to her forehead and went around to the other side of the bed and got in. With his girlfriend finally home, Robin allowed himself to finally relax and fall into a deep sleep. 

The next morning, sunlight from the window in their bedroom woke Robin from his deep slumber. He reached out to pull Regina into his embrace but instead he only found a cold, empty bed. After yawning and stretching, he pushed himself out of bed and glanced at the clock. It was only six o’clock and Regina was clearly gone. After seeing how truly exhausted Regina had been last night, Robin made it his mission to get her to relax. 

After getting all three kids up and ready, he began making plans. Henry was already spending the night at Emma’s so he’d be out of the house. Snow had graciously agreed to take Addy because she loved having the little girl at her house. Robin had also arranged for the Merry Men to take Roland for the night. He knew that his men missed having the little tyke at camp with them and Roland missed his uncles as well, so it was a win-win situation. With all the kids out of the house, Robin set out to bring his fiancé home and make her relax. He strolled into her office around five and found her hunched over her desk, her hair in a ponytail and the same black framed glasses perched on the edge of her nose. Upon hearing his footsteps, Regina looked up and shot Robin a confused look. 

“Robin? What are you doing here?” she asked. 

“I’m here to bring you home.” He told her. 

“Robin, I-I’m not nearly done,” She stuttered. “I’ve only just started making sense of all this and I don’t think I can stop now.” Robin walked over to her and sat down on the edge of her desk. He took the pen from her hands and gently lifted the glasses off her nose. 

“My love, I’m going to be honest with you,” he said. “You look terrible.” 

“Well, thanks…” She retorted. 

“You have dark circles under your eyes and I can tell that you’re stressed because you’re all hunched over and there’s so much tension in your shoulders,” Robin told her. “You look beautiful, love. You always look beautiful, but right now, you look like you feel terrible. So I’ve come to take you home. You’re going to relax for just one night. You’re going to clear your mind and come back and figure all of this out. But, right now, my love, you are fried and you need a break. So, you can make this easy and walk home with me or I can throw you over my shoulder and carry you home.” Regina, who looked shocked at Robin’s sudden assertiveness, stood up from her office chair. 

“I think I’ll walk home,” she replied. 

“Good choice,” Robin told her. He reached his hand out to her and intertwined his fingers with hers. Together, they walked the short distance home. Once in the house, Regina turned to her lover. 

“What now?” She asked. 

“Now, milady, I am going to run you a bath with bubbles, lavender candles, and even some red wine if you’d like,” Robin told her. “And, while you’re doing that, I will be down here making us some dinner.” 

“But you can’t cook…” Regina replied matter of factly. 

“Such little faith,” Robin retorted. 

“You almost set the house on fire last time you used the stove.” 

“I do believe that is a little bit of embellishment,” Robin insisted. 

“Tell that to my charred set of oven mitts,” the brunette countered. 

“Will you just trust me,” Robin pleaded as he pushed her towards the stairs. Regina gave him a smirk and proceeded up the stairs towards their shared bedroom. She took a seat on the edge of their bed while Robin went into the bathroom. He had already set up the bathroom so candles were sitting by the edge of the tub. He started the water and let it run until it got warm and then poured in some bubbles. Next, he grabbed the matches off the counter and lit all the candles. Last but not least, he opened the bottle of red wine that he had brought up before he left and poured it into a glass. He walked out to Regina with the glass of wine in his hand. “I’ve drawn your bath milady and now all you have to do is relax,” Robin told her as he handed her the wine glass. 

“Thank you,” She said with a smile on her face. Robin leaned in and pressed a kiss to her lips. 

“Enjoy and when you’re ready, come down and we’ll have a nice meal together.” 

“Wait!” She called after him.  That sounds lovely but where are the kids?” she asked. 

“I’ve taken care of them,” Robin replied. “All you need to know is that they’re out of the house and we have the night to ourselves.” With that, Robin headed downstairs to start dinner. Regina couldn’t help but smile. She didn’t know what she did to deserve a man like Robin. 

With the idea of a warm bath calling her name, she wandered into the bathroom and set the glass of wine down on the counter. She kicked off her high heels and stripped herself of her dress and underwear before climbing into the steaming bath water. She slipped further down into the tub until just her head peeked above the level of the water. It felt amazing. Regina could feel her muscles relaxing and the tension leaving her body as the warm water worked its magic. Taking a deep breath in, she smelled the lavender from the candles and smiled. She had always loved the smell of lavender. It helped to calm her down in some of her hardest times.  When she was a single mother trying to raise a colicky infant, Regina had practically bathed in her lavender lotion. That was until Henry decided that he hated the smell, thus making him hate her. She had stopped wearing it and got rid of anything that smelled of lavender. At that point, she had been willing to try anything to get Henry to stop crying. She hadn’t kept it in the house since so it was surprising that Robin had chosen that scent to set up for her. She took a sip of the red wine that Robin had given her, its dry flavor dancing across her taste buds. It had taken her a long time to like wine. They always had some kind of a sweet white wine in her castle when she was a little girl and her mother had made her drink it. She had always grimaced at it’s flavor but her mother insisted that she’d get used to it. It had taken Regina a long time, but her mother had been right. She did get used to the taste of wine, but not that sickly sweet white wine that her mother had forced on her years ago. No, Regina much preferred a dry red wine instead. 

After lounging in the bath for a while, Regina felt like it was time to get out. She stood up and stepped out onto the bath mat, grabbing her white plush towel and wrapping it around herself. She dried herself off and walked from the bathroom to her and Robin’s shared closet. She picked up her pair of blue silk pajamas and was about to throw them on when she spotted Robin’s favorite t-shirt. Regina remembered when she bought it for him. After much debate, the Locksley-Mills family had decided to watch Disney’s version of Robin Hood for family movie night.  Regina had found herself laughing hysterically as Robin exclaimed, “I’m a bloody fox! What kind of movie is this?!?” It took a little bit but by the end of the movie, Robin had grown fond of the cartoon depiction of himself. Then, one night during a particularly annoying bout of insomnia, Regina found herself deep in the depths of Amazon. Online shopping had become a bit of an addiction for her, especially when she couldn’t sleep. That night she found a forest green shirt with a black silhouette of the fox, under which it read in script “Her Robin Hood.” Robin had been hesitant to wear it at first but eventually, he realized how comfortable it was and the shirt often made appearances during lazy days spent at home. Wanting to feel that same sense of comfort, Regina put her silk pajamas back in the drawer and pulled on a pair of pajama shorts and the green t-shirt. It was practically a dress on her, the cotton fabric completely covering up the shorts she had just pulled on and making her appear as though she didn’t have any pants on. 

Regina wandered downstairs and was hit with the wonderful aroma of whatever Robin had decided to cook. “I’m impressed,” She said quietly as she padded into the kitchen. “Nothing has caught on fire yet.” 

“I told you that I had dinner covered,” he replied, a smirk on his face. “Did you enjoy your bath?” She nodded and walked over to him to press a kiss to his lips. Robin pulled her in tighter and ran his fingers through her still wet hair. “I can see you’ve found my favorite t-shirt, though it does seem a tad bit large for you milady.” 

“What can I say?” she replied. “I wanted to be comfortable. Now, tell me, what are you making?” 

“Ah, on the menu for tonight, we’ve got an appetizer of tomato bisque and for the main course, two lightly toasted slices of bread held together by a melted slice of American Cheese,” Robin replied, trying his best to sound like a distinguished chef. 

“Grilled cheese and tomato soup are one of my favorite combos,” she replied, smiling up at Robin. 

“Well then, milady, have a seat and I’ll serve you.” 

“Robin, you don’t have to,” Regina began to argue. “I can help.” 

“Now, now, tonight is your night,” he told her. “For once, do as I say and just enjoy the night.” Regina did as she was told and took a seat. She wasn’t used to Robin being so assertive and she thought it best not to test him. She watched as Robin placed the two sandwiches on plates and ladled some of the soup into bowls for the two of them. “Bon appetit, milady,” he said, setting the food down in front of her. Regina happily obliged and dug into the sandwich. It had been a few days since she had any sort of actual meal. She had gone through her entire stash of snacks at the office, not wanting to leave and disrupt her work. Surprisingly, the sandwich and soup were just what she needed to satisfy her hungry stomach. 

“I must say that was a pretty good meal for terrible chef,” Regina said, looking across the table at Robin, who was still working on his own sandwich. 

“I’m a tad bit offended by being called ‘a terrible chef’ and feel that after tonight I’ve at least proved myself to be a mediocre chef,” he retorted. 

“Fine,” Regina agreed. “I’ll promote you. Mediocre chef it is,” Seeing that Robin had finished his meal, Regina spoke once more, “So thief, what else do you have planned for the rest of the evening?” 

“That, my dear, is up to you,” Robin told her. “What is it that you need?” Suddenly, the sound of thunder echoed in the distance and the room was illuminated by a bright bolt of lightning in the sky. Regina had always loved thunderstorms. To many, they were frightening, unpredictable, and scary, but Regina had always felt that they helped to calm her. She had spent many nights sitting on the edge of her windowsill watching as the golden streaks of lightning danced across the sky and the cacophony of thunder echoed in the distance. 

“I want you to hold me,” Regina said as she stood up from the table and walked over to Robin. She extended her hand to him and led him from the kitchen to the living room. Robin took a seat on the couch and Regina sat down between his legs and leaned her body back into his embrace. He pressed a kiss to her temple and ran his fingers gently through her hair. They lay in silence under the cover of a fuzzy purple blanket and watched the night’s sky light up, cuddled in one another’s arms. Gradually, Regina began to feel tired and felt her eyelids begin to droop. Her head fell forward and she jerked it back up, forcing herself to wake and snuggle in closer to Robin’s chest. 

“You’re tired,” Robin said softly. 

“I’m fine.”

“You’re falling asleep,”  he countered. 

“I’m resting my eyes,” she replied, once again closing her eyes and resting her head back onto Robin’s chest. Knowing not to argue with her, Robin simply pressed a kiss to the top of her head and allowed Regina to snuggle against him. He knew in a matter of minutes that she’d be asleep. Robin felt rather proud of himself. His mission to get Regina to relax had gone quite well. He could feel the tension that had been so evident in her shoulders was now gone. The dark bags were still under her eyes but that wasn’t anything a good night’s rest couldn’t fix. Robin looked down when he heard the sound of Regina snoring softly and smiled. He loved this woman so much and would always be there to help her in any way that she needed, even if it was something as simple as a quiet night in. 


	13. Gifts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regina realizes what gifts her children truly are to her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know that this prompt is a kind of short compared to my other ones but this idea just burst into my head and I had to write it.

Regina felt that she had been pretty blessed when it came to her children. She hadn’t given birth to any of them, but that didn’t make them any less hers. She had found a quote while scrolling through Facebook one day that always stuck with her. It read, “I didn’t give you the gift of life, but life gave me the gift of you.” Regina truly felt that in her heart. Each one of her children was a gift to her. 

Henry was the gift that she had wished for. Initially, she hadn’t known that a child was something that she desired, rather needed, in her life. However, as soon as the man at the adoption agency placed Henry in her arms, something changed inside of her. Following the enactment of her curse, Henry was the first and only person to love her for a long time. Every time that Henry looked up at her with those big brown eyes of his, she simply melted. His toothy grin made her heart flutter and when he first uttered his word, which happened to be “Mama,” Regina could barely breathe because the happiness that she felt was overwhelming. Henry was the one to make her believe in herself, to make her realize that she could have happiness. He had turned the Evil Queen back to who she really was… Regina. He was her ultimate gift, her little prince. 

Roland was the gift that fell into her lap, a complete surprise that she never knew she wanted. After sending Henry to New York with Emma, Regina had felt lost. The only person that had ever truly loved her was gone and Regina didn’t know what to do with herself. It had taken a little boy with brown curly hair, chocolate brown eyes and a heart of gold to help her realize that she still had a reason to live. He was sweet like Henry and so innocent, but Roland was also very different. When Henry was little, he had practically been afraid of his own shadow, but Roland wasn’t like that. Sure, the little boy had fears but he was also one the bravest six year old that she had ever met. Roland came into her life when she was broken, when she felt as though at any moment she’d break into a million pieces and simply float away. Roland had kept her grounded during that time. He made her smile and laugh. Roland brought her so much joy during a time when she felt that joy was never a feeling she’d experience again. Above all, the little boy was never afraid to stand up for her. To Roland, she was never the Evil Queen. He didn’t care what she had done in the past. She was his ‘“Gina” and after a while, she was his Mama, no matter what others said. He would always protect her. He would always be her little knight. 

Addy was the gift that she hadn’t wanted. She hadn’t asked for her and for a while, she didn’t want the little girl in her life. At first, Regina wanted nothing more than to make the little girl disappear, to return her. When Regina looked at Addy, she was reminded of something that she would never be able to give Robin...a child of their own. Regina had never considered her infertility to be a problem when she first met Robin. She didn’t need to. They had their two perfect boys and that was what mattered. It had taken a little girl with Robin’s sandy blonde hair and her sister’s crystal blue eyes to make her realize how much she had given up all those years ago when she drank that potion. Pain was all that Regina saw when she looked at Addy for the longest time...that was until she let herself truly get to know the little stranger living in her house. From the first time Regina held the sweet girl in her arms, she had fallen in love with the baby girl and at that moment, she was just as much hers as Roland and Henry were. As Addy grew before her very eyes, Regina realized how different she was from either of the boys.  Addy was independent. She didn’t want people to help her do things. She wanted to figure out how to do it on her. She conquered crawling and walking all on her own and on her own time. Addy also had quite the fiery temper. Regina believed it was in her genetics and that she had inherited it from Zelena. However, whenever, she said that all Robin could do was laugh and say, “Sure, honey, anything you say.” They both knew that Addy’s temper could be from Zelena but it could also be from Regina, a fact that the Queen herself would never admit to. Out of all her children, Addy reminded Regina the most of herself. Yes, she had her temper but she also had her heart. From the time she was a little girl, Regina had felt things with her whole heart and she felt them deeply. As she watched her daughter grow, Regina realized that Addy was much like her. She had this perceptive ability to know when someone was hurting, especially when it was her mother. Holding Addy in her arms always seemed to be exactly what Regina needed to forget whatever was troubling her and make her smile once more. She provided the same sense of comfort for the boys in her family whenever they needed it. When Addy was little, they had taken to calling her their little ladybug, mostly because of a toy that the little girl simply adored. However, after doing a little research, Regina had found that ladybugs symbolized good luck and fortune. That was what Addy had brought into their life. Regina had come to realize that she was the little blessing, the little bit of luck, that she had always desired in her life. No matter how big Addy grew, she would always be Regina’s little ladybug. 

With each child that came into her life, Regina realized that she gained a little piece of herself back from the Evil Queen. Addy had given her back her heart. She had given her back the ability to open herself up to others, to love and be loved in return. Roland had given her back her courage. He had shown her that she didn’t need power to stand up for herself or others. He had shown her that true courage came from within. Henry had given her back her optimism and her belief in hope. In the darkest of times, Henry had been that light at the end of the tunnel for her. He had made her believe in herself and in the person that she could become. Together, they had created the mother that they knew. She was the mother who held them close when they were sad and dried their tears. She was the mother who cheered them on in all that they did. She was the mother who would always love them, no matter what. They had been the ones to create her. They had chosen her to be their mother and Regina knew that she would never let her three little gifts down. She’d loved them until the end of time. 


	14. Parenting Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes Regina thinks she has her life under control. Balancing her work, her children and her relationship with Robin isn't easy but most of the time she makes it work. However, adding wedding planning into the mix doesn't seem to help things...

“God, Regina can’t we just give it to her? I can’t listen to her cry anymore,” Robin begged from his position next to Regina in bed. 

“She’ll stop soon,” Regina replied unconvincingly. 

“She’s been crying for an hour straight. Can’t we just give her the stupid binky?” He tried once more. 

“She’s going to be walking down the aisle with that binky in her mouth if we don’t put a stop to it now,” Regina retorted as she turned on her side to look away from her fiancé. She couldn’t bear to look at those crystal blue puppy dog eyes that she knew he was utilizing to try and get his way. 

“Our wedding or hers?” Robin asked with a laugh. 

“Both!” Regina snapped. As she said that, Addy gave out a particularly harsh high pitched scream. 

“That is it, Regina,” Robin replied harshly. “I am putting my foot down. I can go in there and give her that binky or you can handle it some other way. I can not bear to listen to my little girl scream like that anymore.” 

“Fine!” Regina yelled back as she threw back the covers and practically stomped over to the nursery. Before going in, she took a moment to compose herself because she knew that Addy would feed off of her energy. She wasn’t mad at Addy or Robin. She was just exhausted and all she wanted to do was go to sleep. However, she wasn’t willing to budge on the pacifier issue. Addy had used them as a crutch for too long. She was nearly 18 months old now. It was time. Three days ago, they had rounded up all the binkies in the house and hid them from the little girl. Regina had told her that she was a “big girl” now and big girls didn’t need binkies. Needless to say, Addy didn’t seem to believe her because, for the past three nights, her shrieks had rung through the house. It was clear that the little girl was actively protesting sleep, which meant that neither of her parents were getting any sleep either. It also meant that during the day Addy was a holy terror and a ticking time bomb when it came to tantrums. To sum it up, the past three days had been utterly exhausting and there seemed to be no end in sight. After pushing open the bedroom door, Regina padded into the nursery and saw Addy standing up in her crib, her face bright red with tears streaming down her cheeks. 

“Oh sweetie,” She cooed as she picked the little girl up from her crib and held her close. Addy continued to scream, even in her mother’s grasp. 

“Binky!” She wailed. 

“You’re a big girl now, remember?” Regina prompted. “Big girls don’t need binkies.” Addy continued to scream. “Come on sweetheart, I know you’re so tired.” she cooed, rubbing the little girl’s back gently. Regina reached into Addy’s crib and grabbed her pink fleece blanket and wrapped it around her before taking a seat in the chestnut rocking chair in the corner of the room. She held the little girl against her chest and shushed her until Addy’s screams gradually became soft whimpers. “That’s it sweet pea, just close your eyes. Mama’s got you.” She rocked back and forth for what seemed like forever until she could finally hear Addy’s soft snores. Then, she rose out of the rocking chair slowly and padded over to her crib. She set the little girl down gently and not to wake her. Regina said a little prayer that she’d stay asleep for the rest of the night. After quietly shutting the nursery door, Regina walked back down the hallway to her and Robin’s bedroom and climbed back into bed. 

“You’re not going to be able to do that every night,” Robin muttered sleepily. 

“She’ll start doing it by herself soon enough,” Regina retorted. “The binky was her comfort item and we just took that away,” 

“Love, I don’t know how many more sleepless nights you can handle,” Robin said as he gently brushed his thumb against her cheek. “You know I’d help, but she doesn’t want me. She only wants you.” 

“I’m fine,” Regina groaned. “I’d like to get some sleep before our daughter wakes up and realizes her binky is gone and starts screaming again. I have to meet Snow at Granny’s in the morning and I would like to not look like a zombie when I do so,” she added before curling into Robin’s side and burying herself further under the covers. Robin knew better than to argue with Regina, especially a sleep deprived Regina. Instead, he pressed a kiss to the nape of Regina’s neck and pulled her closer. He could use some sleep anyway. 

At some point during the middle of the night, Robin felt Regina began to fidget in his grasp. His eyes fluttered open to look at the woman in his arms. She was breathing heavily, her face screwed up like she was in pain. “No, no, stop,” she murmured. 

“Regina, love, wake up. It’s just a dream,” Robin said, shaking her gently. Regina let out a gasp and sat up in his grasp. “Shh, it’s alright. It was just a dream. You’re alright,” he whispered softly as he pulled the shaking woman back into his arms. “You’re safe. You’re okay,” he said again as he ran his fingers through her hair. They lay there quietly for a moment before Robin spoke once more. “That was the second nightmare this week. Do you want to talk about it?” Regina frantically shook her head. “Love, you know that if something is bothering you, you can always tell me, no matter what, right?” Regina didn’t reply. She simply burrowed further into Robin’s side and closed her eyes. Robin didn’t want to push her, but he was worried. Regina had been waking up from these nightmares for weeks now. He’d try his best to comfort her in the moment, but clearly whatever was bothering her wasn’t going away. Knowing there wasn’t anything else he could do for her, Robin tried his best to fall back asleep and prayed that Regina didn’t have to suffer through another nightmare tonight. 

The next morning, Regina woke up early. Groaning, she pinched the bridge of her nose and shielded her eyes from the sun peeking its way through the window. This wasn’t the first time that she’d had a headache like this and it wouldn’t be the last. Pushing her pain aside, Regina extracted herself from Robin’s arms and wandered into the bathroom to get ready. She looked in the mirror and frowned at the dark bags under her eyes. She opened up the medicine cabinet above the sink and pulled out a bottle of Excedrin migraine medication. She popped two pills into her mouth and swallowed them. She didn’t have time to feel sick. She had things to do. 

Regina got ready quickly. Dealing with her migraine had taken more time than she had assumed and she was running late for her meeting with Snow. Before leaving, she pulled on a light jacket and grabbed her bag before making the short walk to Granny’s. Last night had taken a lot out of her. It wasn’t the first night that she had a nightmare and it wouldn’t be the last. When Regina had accepted Robin’s proposal, she never realized how many memories and feelings it would bring up for her from her first marriage. The dreams were all similar. They either dealt with Daniel dying at her mother’s hand or her wedding night where Leopold had consummated their marriage against her will. Last night had been a Leopold dream. Before starting to plan this wedding, Regina hadn’t given her first wedding a second thought. She hadn’t really planned any of it. Her mother and an army of servants had done it for her. She hadn’t gotten a chance to pick her own dress, the venue, the food, really anything that mattered. She hadn’t even gotten to pick the groom. Now, with this wedding, Snow had all these grand ideas. She wanted to give Regina the perfect fairytale wedding. She didn’t know how to tell Snow that she had had afairytale wedding, but it was far from perfect. There were so many aspects of this wedding that were too similar to her last wedding and it was freaking Regina out. It was making her want nothing to do with it. 

When Regina arrived at Granny’s, Snow was already waiting for her in a booth near the window. Snow waved at her and gave her a smile. Regina returned a weak smile and walked towards the booth to take a seat. “I’m so glad you’re here,” Snow said as Regina sat down. “So I thought today we could take a look invitation styles. I brought some patterns that I found online for you to look at.” 

“I-uhh, okay,” Regina replied, her head already throbbing. “I just need some coffee. I didn’t get much sleep.” 

“Addy still not sleeping?” Snow asked. Regina shook her head. “I remember when Neal went through that and it was hell, but you’ll get through it.” While they sat there, Ruby walked over to their table with a coffee cup and a full pot of coffee. She set the mug down on the table and poured a generous amount of coffee into it. 

“Granny says it’s on the house. It looks like you need it.” Ruby told her with a genuine smile. 

“Thank you,” Regina replied, a bit of embarrassment evident in her voice. She wondered how terrible she truly looked if Granny could see from the other side of the room that she looked and felt like crap. Regina took a sip of the black coffee and Snow saw that as her opportunity to pull out her wedding invitation samples. 

“Okay, so I don’t know if you want to go more elegant and simple or have them be a little more ornate,” Snow began. She pulled out the first one and laid it on the table. “This one is very simple, just white with some golden flowers. Very regal.” Regina swallowed thickly at that word. She didn’t really want to have anything to do with that word anymore. She wasn’t a Queen anymore and her marriage with Robin would be nothing like her marriage to Leopold. Before she even had a chance to reply, Snow had moved onto the next invitation. “This one is has a floral pattern and is definitely more colorful. I don’t know how it would go with the color scheme that we’ve already decided on but we could always customize it,” she added. “Then! This third option is my favorite. They look like cute little doves!” Snow exclaimed.  “So, Regina, what do you think?” she asked.

“I-umm-I guess the third one is okay,” Regina replied. She really couldn’t process the options that she had before her. Her head was pounding and there were huge black spots in her line of vision, which was a common occurrence for her when she had migraines.  

“Regina, you don’t seem very sure about this. This is your wedding. You have to have an opinion,” Snow prompted. “I agreed to plan your wedding but I’m going to need your input.” Regina shut her eyes in pain and let out a sigh. “There’s no need to get upset with me. I’m only trying to help,” Snow snapped back at her stepmother’s obvious disgust. 

“Snow, I am trying…” 

“Well, it doesn’t really seem like you care. Don’t you want to have an amazing fairytale wedding?”   
“I didn’t ask for that!” Regina suddenly exclaimed. 

“Well, excuse me for assuming that you’d want your wedding to your true love to be perfect,” Snow said angrily. 

“It’s all too much…” Regina tried to explain. 

“Weddings are a lot!” Snow yelled. “They’re work, Regina. And I’ve been trying my best to help you, but you are being quite difficult.” 

“I never asked for your help,” Regina replied weakly. Snow let out a sigh and Regina could see tears in the corner of her eyes. 

“Well fine then. I won’t assist you anymore. Have fun doing everything yourself. I’m done helping you,” Snow retorted, pushing the binder full of wedding ideas towards her stepmother before storming out of the restaurant. After the princess had left, Regina dropped her head into hands. She hadn’t meant to be so short with Snow. She was just overwhelmed and in pain. The throbbing in her head was overwhelming and consuming her every thought. She couldn’t put any thought into invitations because she was focusing all of her energy on not screaming out in pain. Regina was pulled from her thoughts by the sound of her cell phone ringing in her purse. She looked at the screen. It was Robin. 

“Hello?” She answered quietly. 

“Regina, we have a problem…” 

“What? Is someone hurt? What’s going on?” she asked quickly. 

“Roland is at the sheriff’s station,” Robin said. 

“What? Why?” Regina asked.

“He got caught shoplifting…” Robin began. “I’m picking him up now, but I would appreciate the back-up.” 

“I’ll be home in ten minutes,” she replied. She couldn’t believe this. Roland was only six but he knew better than to steal. Then again, his father used to be a thief. God, she couldn’t deal with this right now. Regina hurried home and practically flew into the house. No one was downstairs, so Regina scurried upstairs. She looked in Roland’s room but it was empty. Then, she heard a strange noise coming from Henry’s room. It sounded like a moan. Was Henry sick? She opened up his door and practically screamed when she was going on. Henry and Violet were on his bed and Violet was on top of him, kissing him all over his bare chest.

“Oh, God!” Regina exclaimed

“Mom!” Henry yelled as Violet scrambled off of him.  Regina hurriedly shut the door and made a break for downstairs. She couldn’t believe what she just saw. She knew Henry was growing up and that he and Violet had been together for awhile but she never expected to see that.  She felt like she was going to throw up and this time it wasn’t just because of her throbbing headache, though it was growing worse by the second. Regina took a seat on the couch and put her head in her hands. As if on cue, Robin came through the door with Addy, who was screaming. Clearly, she was still protesting her nap because she looked more than tired. 

“Papa! I’m sorry,” Roland exclaimed, tears rushing down his face.  

“What you did was very wrong!” Robin said sternly. “Stealing is not okay.” While the chaos was going on in the living room, Violet rushed downstairs with Henry on her heels. 

“Violet! Violet, wait!” Henry called after her, but the girl didn’t stop. “Way to go, mom! Don’t you ever knock!” Henry yelled. Robin looked between Regina and Henry, a confused look upon his face. 

“What is going on?” Robin demanded to know. 

“Violet and I were having a private moment and Mom barged in!” Henry yelled. “Now she’ll probably not talk to me again. She’s mortified!” Robin wanted to reply but Addy was screaming so loudly in his ear. 

“Addy, honey, you have to stop crying,” Robin begged. Meanwhile, Roland had taken to begging Regina for forgiveness. 

“I can explain, Mama. Please don’t be mad!” He cried in her face. Regina couldn’t process any of the chaos going on in her house. Her head was throbbing. Each shriek from Addy sounded like a gunshot. She couldn’t take the sound of Roland’s whiny voice and she couldn’t even look Henry in the eyes. 

“Regina! I could use some help here,” Robin said loudly to her. “Regina! Regina!” he yelled when she didn’t respond. 

“God, shut up!” Regina yelled, which made everyone in family silent, except for Addy who was still crying. “I-I can’t do this,” she stuttered out before stumbling to their bedroom. She took a seat on the edge of the bed. She hunched herself over and breathed deeply as waves of nausea plagued her. She didn’t have long to be alone because Robin had followed her with the still crying baby. 

“Regina, what is your problem?” Robin demanded to know as he stormed into the room. 

“Get her out of here!” Regina yelled. “I can’t listen to the crying! Give her the stupid binky! Just make it stop.” She was gripping the sides of her head now. “I can’t do this! My one son is a thief, the other one is practically having sex and I have a toddler who won’t stop crying! My head is pounding. Just leave me alone!” She screamed. Robin was about to argue back when Regina suddenly pressed a hand over her mouth and reached out for the trashcan next to their bed and threw up violently into it. Robin was a bit shocked. He hadn’t realized that Regina had been feeling so sick. He took Addy out of the room and gave her to Henry, much to his dismay and hurried back to Regina. She was still hunched over trash can breathing heavily.  Robin moved behind her and gathered her hair into his hands. 

“It’s going to be alright,” he whispered. “We’ll figure everything out. Just breathe.” He rubbed Regina’s back soothingly as she once again heaved into the can. Despite all the drama with their children, Robin had a feeling his biggest worry was going to have to be Regina. Parenting wasn’t easy and it was clear that today, it had pushed Regina to the edge. 

To be Continued...


	15. Parenting Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robin has to deal with all the children's problems while dealing with a migraine-ridden Regina.

Robin stayed by Regina’s side for a while as she hovered shakily over the trash can. When she was finished, Robin leaned over and grabbed a tissue for Regina to wipe her face with. She took it, wiped the corners of her mouth and blew her nose before laying back on the bed. Groaning, she covered her eyes with her arm and curled up on her side. “Sweetheart, why didn’t you tell me you were feeling so sick?” Robin whispered. 

“I’m fine,” Regina groaned. “I get migraines. I’ll be okay.” 

“What do you need?” he asked softly. 

“My medication. It’s in the cabinet in the bathroom,” She groaned. “Turn off the lights,” she added. Robin stood up from their bed and walked into the bathroom and turned off the lights on his way there.  He opened up the cabinet and grabbed the orange bottle of pills with Regina’s name on it.He also grabbed a small cup of water and wet a washcloth for her to place over her eyes before returning back to the bedroom. 

“Here honey, take these,” Robin whispered. Regina opened her eyes and groaned as she sat up. She was still feeling dizzy and nauseous and leaned heavily on Robin to keep her steady. She shakily took the pills in her hand and put them in her mouth, swallowing them with a swig of water. “Okay, now lie back down,” Robin told her and Regina did as she was told. He took the folded up washcloth and laid it on her forehead. “Just relax, okay,” He told her. “I’ll call Snow and see if she can take the kids.”   
“No, you can’t,” Regina replied quickly, grimacing at the pain in her head. “W-we had a fight. She’s mad at me.” The outlaw gave her a look. “I don’t wanna talk about it.” 

“Love, you can’t keep holding things in,” Robin told her. “This headache is what happens when you keep all of your stress inside and don’t let me help you.” Regina let out a sigh. She didn’t want to admit that Robin was right. 

“What are we gonna do about the kids?” she asked weakly, trying to sit up. 

“I will handle it,” Robin told her as he gently pushed her back down towards the bed and repositioned the washcloth on her forehead. “You need to rest. I will talk to the kids. Just yell if you need me, okay?” She nodded and closed her eyes. Robin stood up from the bed and before he left, he placed a blanket over Regina so she was warm enough. Then, Robin made his way into the living room. He saw that Addy had finally stopped crying and had fallen asleep in Henry’s arms. That was a miracle in itself.

“Is Mama okay?” Roland asked. “She yelled at us.” 

“Mama doesn’t feel very good. We were all being very loud and it was making her head hurt,” Robin told him. 

“So, she has a migraine?” Henry asked, standing up from the couch and shifting Addy up on his shoulder. Robin nodded at his older son. “She used to get them a lot, especially when she was really stressed out.” 

“Yes, she’s in a lot of pain and is pretty nauseous.” 

“There’s not much you can do for her,” Henry told him. “She just has to sleep it off. Has she taken her medication?” Robin nodded once again. “That’s good. They’ll help. She’ll probably throw up too.” 

“She already has,” Robin told him

“Well, maybe that’s a good sign. It normally only happens once... or twice if it’s a really bad one,” Henry told him. “I’m gonna go put Addy in her crib and then, I think I’ll go to my room.” 

“Alright,” Robin replied. “We are going to have to talk, Henry,” he called as the boy went upstairs. 

“I know,” Henry replied solemnly, already knowing what was coming. When Henry had gone upstairs, Robin turned his attention back to Roland. 

“Son, sit down. We need to talk,” Robin told him as he took a seat on the couch himself. Roland frowned and took a seat next to his father. “Would you like to tell me what happened?” The little boy shook his head. “I don’t want to yell but you need to tell me why you would steal something from the store.” 

“It wasn’t for me…” Roland replied quietly. 

“What wasn’t for you?” Robin asked, realizing that Emma had never even told him what it was that Roland stole. 

“The medicine,” Roland said. “My friend, Mia...her mommy is sick. She only has a mommy and they don’t have a lot of money. I didn’t want her mommy to be sick and go to Heaven like mine did.” At that moment, Robin felt his heart drop. “I just wanted to be like you, Papa. You took things to help people. That’s all I was doing. There were so many other medicines. I didn’t think the store would miss just one.” Robin didn’t know what to say to his little boy. He had had all the best intentions, but his execution was a bit flawed. 

“Roland, buddy, I understand that you wanted to help your friend,” He began. “but you still can’t take things without paying for them. I was wrong in the past for stealing from other people.” 

“But you were helping people!” Roland told him. 

“I was, but there are better ways to help people, ways that aren’t against the law,” Robin told him.  “In the future, instead of stealing, I want you to come to Mama or I. We will help you and your friend. Tomorrow, you’re going to go back to the store and apologize for stealing, got it?” Roland nodded. “Alright, give me a hug,” Robin told him. He pulled the little boy into a hug and pressed a kiss to his forehead. “Alright, I want you to go and play in your room for a little bit. Okay?” Robin told him. “Also, make sure to be quiet so Mama can rest.” Roland nodded to his father and headed up the stairs to his bedroom. 

“One problem down, one to go,” Robin muttered as he went upstairs and found his way to Henry’s bedroom. He knocked on the door and opened it slowly. Henry was sitting on his bed just looking down at his hands. 

“Can I come in?” Robin asked. Henry nodded. He walked further into the bedroom and sat down on Henry’s bed. There was an awkward silence between them and Henry wouldn’t meet Robin’s eyes. 

“Are you two being safe?” Robin asked blatantly. “Do you have condoms?” 

“We’re not even having sex,” Henry retorted. “We were just kissing.” 

“Is that what your mother is going to tell me she saw?” the outlaw asked, giving Henry a suspicious look. 

“Okay, so it was more like making out,” the teen replied honestly. “I didn’t have a shirt on and she was...on top of me.” 

“Now I understand why your mother reacted as she did. Frankly, I’m surprised that she didn’t have a heart attack on the spot,” Robin said with a laugh. “Listen, Henry, I was a teenage boy once and I understand what it’s like being with a girl that you really like.” 

“Oh please, you think we can’t hear you and mom,” Henry shot back. “All I’m saying is...you two could be a bit quieter. It’s gross and I don’t think Roland should be scarred for life at the age of six. ” Robin felt his cheeks turn red from embarrassment. He never realized that they had been that loud, but he decided not to lie to Henry.

“Fair enough. We’ll be quieter next time,” Robin replied. “Listen, Henry, I’m not going to tell you to stop being intimate with Violet. If you really like her and you believe things are right with her, nothing should stop you. All I’m asking is for you to be safe,” he told him. “If you need me to buy you condoms, I will.” 

“I don’t need condoms…not right now.” Henry replied quietly. “We were just kissing. We haven’t even talked about...sex.” 

“Well when you do, I want you to know that you can come to me or David or even Hook. Maybe even your Moms. I don’t know how they’ll react but I’m sure that they’ll just be glad that you’re being honest with them,” Robin told him. “We’ll answer any questions that you might have.” 

“Thank you, Robin,” Henry told him. “I appreciate it. You should probably go and check on Mom,” he added. 

“That I should,” Robin told him. “Henry, I just have one question.” 

“Yeah?” 

“How did you get Addy to sleep without her binky?” he asked. 

“I told her about the Binky Fairy,” Henry replied. 

“The Binky Fairy?” 

“Yeah, that’s what mom told me when I was little,” Henry said with a laugh. “I wouldn’t give up my binky until I was four years old. I remember she tried _everything._ She cut the tops off of them, tried to bribe me, but nothing worked. Then, she told me about the Binky Fairy, who was a fairy who took all of the binkies from kids who didn’t need them anymore and gave them to babies who didn’t have any. I thought I’d try it with Addy. We rounded up a bunch of her binkies and put them in a basket.” 

“I thought your mom took all of her binkies a week ago?” Robin asked. 

“She had a secret stash inside her toy chest,” Henry told him. “We put them in a basket and then left them on a porch for the “Binky Fairy.” Addy was really excited about it. We waited on the porch for a bit when you were with Mom and I think she just was so exhausted that she hit a wall and before I knew it, she was asleep.” 

“Well, I commend you for getting her to actually go asleep,” Robin told him. 

“Don’t mention it. If it stops her from crying tonight, it’ll be worth it,” Henry replied. “I think I’m gonna call Violet, if that’s okay. I just want to try and make things a little less awkward.” 

“That’s fine, I’ll leave you alone,” Robin told him. “I should check on your mother anyway,” he added before making his way towards Henry’s door. 

“Robin-” Henry called. Robin stopped and looked back at the older boy. “Tell mom that I hope she feels better.” 

“I will,” Robin replied with a smile. He headed down the hallway back into their bedroom. It was still dark and Regina was shaking under the blanket that Robin had laid over her. He gently brushed a hand against her shoulder to alert her to his presence. “Are you feeling any better?” Regina shook her head. 

“It feels like someone is smashing my head in with a hammer.” Regina groaned, tears pooling in the corner of her eyes. 

“I’m so sorry, love. If there was anything I could do to make it better, you know I would,” Robin told her as he gently ran his fingers through her hair. “Is there anything I can get you?” he asked. She shook her head. 

“Just lay with me,” Regina begged. Robin crawled onto the bed and pulled the woman into his arms. Regina moved around fitfully, unable to get comfortable due to the amount of pain that she was dealing with. The pain got so bad that Robin was beginning to get worried. He knew migraines weren’t life threatening, but it was hard to watch Regina in so much pain. 

“Robin, I need the pain to stop,” Regina whimpered. 

“I know sweetheart, I’m so sorry. I wish there was something I could do for you, ” Robin replied as he dabbed at her sweaty forehead. He grabbed Regina’s pill bottle and looked at it. It said that she could take another pill every four to six hours. “You can take more medication. Let’s try that.” He opened the bottle and poured two pills into his hand. She opened her mouth weakly and swallowed the pills with a bit of water that he offered her. “Hopefully, they’ll make you sleepy and you can get some rest.” 

“It hurts…” she cried, sounding like a wounded child. 

“I know it does,” Robin replied softly. “Just take some deep breaths. The medicine will help.” He stayed with her as she whimpered into her pillow. He thought that she was finally getting some relief, but Regina’s nausea revolted once more. 

“Robin-” She choked out as she tried to sit up. “Robin, I’m gonna throw up.” she groaned. Seeing how green Regina looked, Robin quickly grabbed the trash can next to the bed and held it up for her. She hung over the trash can, her mouth watering as she fought off the overwhelming nausea plaguing her. 

“Just let it out, honey. Maybe it’ll help,” Robin told her. Regina began to gag and before she knew it, she was throwing up into the trash can once more. She threw up so much that Robin didn’t believe that anything could be left in her stomach. When she finally stopped, Regina was left shaking and out of breath. “Are you finished?” He asked and she nodded her head before lying back down. 

“I feel a little better,” Regina confessed. “I-I think I wanna try and sleep.” 

“Okay honey,” Robin told her. “You rest.” He added as he covered her back up with a blanket. After Regina had closed her eyes, Robin went into the bathroom. He cleaned out the trash can and returned it to the side of Regina’s bed, just in case. Afterwards, he made dinner for the kids and got them ready for bed. Roland asked to see Regina but Robin explained that she still wasn’t feeling well and that waiting until the morning would be best. Addy went down without a fuss surprisingly. Robin decided that he’d have to raise Henry’s allowance for remembering that Binky Fairy thing. When all the kids were in bed, Robin went back into their bedroom and was pleasantly surprised to see that Regina was still asleep. He crawled into bed beside her and prayed that she'd be able to sleep for the rest of the night. He had dealt with three problems today, but there was still one big one left to deal with. Robin was positive that a lot of Regina’s stress was coming from whatever she had fought about with Snow today. They needed to talk, to make amends and Robin had just the plan to get them to do that. 

When Regina woke the next morning, she could feel someone dabbing a wet washcloth on her forehead. She opened her eyes and was shocked to see that it wasn’t Robin. It was Snow. “Snow? What are you doing here?” she asked weakly. 

“Robin asked me to come and stay with you. He had to take the kids to school and was worried about you,” She replied. “Also, he thought that we should talk. How are you feeling?” 

“My head doesn’t hurt as much and I’m not nauseous anymore,” the brunette replied.

“That’s good. I’ve only had a migraine once or twice in my life and they were not fun times.” Snow replied. Not knowing what to say, Regina stayed silent and there was an awkward silence between them. Taking a deep breath, Regina looked back at Snow. 

“Snow...about yesterday...I-I’m sorry.” She began. 

“I just don’t understand why you got so mad at me. I was only trying to help,” Snow replied quietly. 

“It wasn’t you. It was my head. I couldn’t think. I couldn’t do anything,” Regina told her. “But Snow, I haven’t been honest with you. I want your help with the wedding...I do. If anything, I need it. But you want to give me this fairytale wedding and I’ve already had that with your father. It was a wedding fit for a queen, but I-I’m not a queen anymore. And, If I’m being honest, my first wedding doesn’t bring up great memories for me. I-I’ve been having nightmares and I can’t sleep anymore. I want to have an amazing wedding, but I don’t want it to be this big affair. I want this wedding to be about me and Robin and our friends and family. I don’t need a big poofy dress or fancy plates for the reception.  I don’t need a fairytale. I just need a simple wedding.” Snow reached her hand out and took Regina’s hand into her own. 

“Regina, I was just doing what I thought you’d like,” Snow replied. “I thought you would want an amazing huge wedding to replace your first one. But Regina, what matters to me is your happiness. This is your wedding. We can make it into anything that you want.” 

‘Thanks, Snow,” Regina said before leaning into to give her stepdaughter a hug. 

“Now, why don’t you get some rest,” Snow suggested. “You still look a bit pale.”

“You’re one to talk,” Regina joked. “Fairest of them all…” she muttered. Snow could only smile in response.  

“ You must be feeling better if you’re up to making fun of my complexion,” Snow laughed. “I’m going to go make some soup. You have to be hungry after not eating anything yesterday,” Snow told her. “Do you need anything right now?” Regina shook her head as she watched Snow move towards the door. 

“Snow, wait…” She began. Snow stopped and looked back at her stepmother. “Will you be my maid of honor?” Regina asked. Snow’s face lit up. 

“You’re sure?” 

“Yes, there’s no one else who’s believed in me more and stood by my side even after all the terrible things I've done to you. There’s no one that I’d want by my side other than you.” 

“Of course, yes, I’ll be your maid of honor,” Snow told her. “Now, rest. If we’re gonna plan an amazing wedding, you have to be up to the job.” The princess told her. Snow left the room, leaving Regina by herself. Even though her head still hurt, Regina felt loads better. It was as if all the tension in her body had just disappeared. She knew that keeping all of her stress inside wasn’t healthy. It was what she had done in the past when she had no one to confide in. But that wasn’t the case anymore. She had Robin and Snow and even Henry. She had people to confide in. She wasn’t alone anymore. 


	16. First Day of School

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the first day of school for the kids and Regina makes a huge revelation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I know it's been a little bit since I updated. This week I started my first full-time job as a Labor and Delivery nurse so needless to say I've been a bit busy. I hope to keep writing because it is a great stress relief for me. I just can't promise my uploading to be consistent due to my schedule. Anyway, I hope that you guys enjoy!

“Alright boys, just get together,” Regina prompted as she posed her two sons on the front porch. 

“Mom! We’re gonna be late,” Henry groaned. 

“Well, then you better take these pictures fast,” Regina retorted as she pushed her eldest son towards the porch. Henry rolled his eyes and reluctantly stood next to his little brother. “Okay! Now, smile and say cheese!” 

“Cheese!” Roland exclaimed as he showed off his smile which was now missing his two front teeth.

“Henry! That’s not a smile!” 

“Yes, it is!” Henry retorted back to his mother. Regina rolled her eyes. In the past few weeks, Henry had turned into a surly teenager just in time for his senior year. Regina had hoped that maybe he would skip that stage. Most of the time, he was a well-mannered gentleman, just as Regina raised him to be. However, lately, Henry’s attitude had been off the charts. All that he wanted to do was drive around town and hang out with Violet. Henry had made it clear that hanging out with his younger siblings and parents wasn’t cool anymore and neither was taking school pictures. “Mom! Will you hurry up? I have to pick up Violet,” the teen whined. 

“Okay fine,” Regina began. “Just one more. Henry, I need you to go stand by the apple tree.” 

“Mom! Uggghhh” 

“Do not sass me, young man!” Regina scolded. “We take this picture every year. It’s your senior year. Take it one more time and then you’ll never have to do it ever again!” After saying that statement, Regina felt tears well up in the corners of her eyes but she held them back. She couldn’t believe this was really happening. It was her baby’s last year of school. It had gone by in a blink of an eye. It seemed like only yesterday that Henry was hiding behind her legs refusing to go into his kindergarten class and now, here he was begging to leave her. She remembered it like it was yesterday… 

 

_*flashback*_

_“Henry, honey, I promise, you’ll have a great time,” Regina said, trying to coax a terrified five year old from behind her legs._

_“No, mommy! I don’t want to go!” Henry cried. “I wanna stay with you!” Regina felt her heart breaking as she watched her son cry, large crocodile tears flowing down his cheeks. She knelt down, pulled the little boy into her arms, held him and pressed a kiss to his forehead._

_“It’s only for a little bit,” She told him. “Mommy’s gonna drop you off and go to work for a little bit and then, later after lunch, I’m going to come pick you up. And then, I’ll tell you what. We’ll get ice cream. How does that sound?” Henry’s lower lip jutted out and quivered as she shook his head “No.”_

_“I do-don’t wa-wanna g-go,” He stuttered out through harsh sobs. “Can’t I just go to work with you?” he begged. “I’ll be good.”_

_“Oh Henry,” She cooed. “School is going to be so much more fun. You’ll meet new kids and learn new things. It’ll be so much more fun than being at the office with me.”_

_“But I won’t know anyone…” Henry whimpered. “I won’t have any friends.”_

_“Baby, everyone will be new,” Regina told him. “But, you are such an amazing boy. I know that you’ll make so many new friends. You just have to trust me.”_

_“You promise I’ll have fun?_

_“I promise,” Regina told him. “Now, come on honey, let’s go find your classroom.” She took his tiny hand into her own and led him down the hallway that was filled with construction paper crafts on either side of the walls. The kindergarten classroom was all the way at the end of the hallway. Regina stopped outside of the doorway and handed Henry his backpack. “Everything is going to be okay. I love you.”_

_“I love you too, mommy,” Henry replied quietly before turning around and tentatively making his way into the classroom. Regina watched from outside the door. She watched Henry look around the room, appearing completely lost. Everything inside of Regina wanted to follow him in there and just scoop him up in her arms. She had put on a good show but this day was just as hard for her as it was for Henry. She was about to go inside when a blonde haired little girl started talking to Henry. Regina watched curiously as the two five year olds talked and before she knew it Henry was smiling. She watched as he took the little girl’s hand and ran off to play with her. With one last smile and glance backwards, Regina knew that her little boy would be okay...and so would she. After all, she’d be able to pick him up right after lunch._

 

“Mom! I have to go. Can you just take the picture?” Henry yelled to her, which brought Regina out of her thoughts. 

“Okay, just one second,” Regina said. She held her phone up and snapped a picture of Henry. “Alright, you’re free. Go.” 

“Finally,” Henry muttered before racing back in the house to grab his car keys. 

“Mama, is it time for school?” Roland asked sweetly as he tugged at her sleeve. 

“Yes, sweetheart, in just a minute. Why don’t you go grab your backpack and tell Papa that we’re ready so he can grab Addy.” The little boy nodded and ran off into the house. As if on cue, Henry came barreling out of the front door, nearly knocking his little brother over, and raced over to his car. The car was a black chevy cruze that Henry was quite fond of. Regina and Emma had decided to split the cost and surprise him on his sixteenth birthday. “Henry, please be safe!” Regina called after him. 

“I’ll be fine. Bye, mom!” He answered back as he climbed into the driver’s seat and started up the car. The engine revved as Henry stepped down on the gas and sped off down the road. 

“That boy is going to make me have a heart attack one of these days,” Regina grumbled as she watched the black car race off, her hand clutching at her chest. As she stood there, Regina felt something slam into her legs. “Whoa!” she exclaimed as she tried to regain her balance. Looking down, she saw a smiling face and full head of brown curls below her. “Roland, you almost knocked me over!” she scolded. 

“I got you!” The little boy simply replied with a laugh. 

“You sure did,” Regina told him. “Where’s Papa?” 

“Trying to get Addy up. She was still sleeping,” Roland told her. 

“I bet. She’s not used to getting up this early.” 

“No, she is not,” Robin said, interrupting his fiancé. “And she’s awfully cranky and wants her Mama.” Regina smiled and walked over to take the little girl. 

“Hi sweet pea, did you have a good sleep?” Regina cooed as she pressed a kiss to Addy’s forehead. The little girl simply cuddled into her mother’s embrace and rested her head against Regina’s shoulder before closing her eyes again. “Well, she’s definitely not a morning person. Should be fun getting her up for school in a couple of years,” Regina joked. 

“I wonder where she gets that from…” Robin replied with a laugh. Regina simply rolled her eyes. Mornings were not her favorite either. 

“We better get going. Roland, go and get in your car seat.” The little boy happily obliged and hopped into the Mercedes while Regina placed Addy into her carseat and buckled her in. After both kids were strapped in, Regina and Robin got in the front seats so they could drive to the school. 

“Are you excited to start first grade?” Robin asked. 

“Yes!” The little boy exclaimed. “It’s gonna be awesome! Now that I’m in the first grade, I get to play on the big playground!” 

“And you’re gonna learn a lot.” Regina tried to interject.

“Yeah that too,” Roland replied, shrugging off his mother’s comment. Before they knew it, they had arrived at the school. Roland unbuckled himself and practically jumped out of the car, ready to bolt into the school. 

“Alright buddy, here we are,” Robin said. “Do you want us to walk you into school?” 

“Nope! That’s okay,” Roland agreed. 

“You know that we’ll be here right when school lets out to pick you up, right?” Regina told him as she kneeled down to look him in the eyes. “And your teacher can always call us if you need anything.”   
“I know that, Mama,” Roland replied. “Ooh! There’s Sara! I have to go. Bye Mama! Bye Papa! Bye Addy!” he yelled before running off. He didn’t even bother to hug any of his family members. 

“Well that went a lot smoother than last year,” Robin said

“Yeah...I guess it did,” Regina replied, some sadness evident in her voice. Dropping Roland off last year had gone a lot like Henry’s first day of kindergarten. Roland had been shy and hid behind her leg. He had refused to go inside unless accompanied by his parents and had cried when Regina and Robin left him. But this year, Roland was a different kid. Regina knew that she should be happy that Roland was growing up and getting more independent. However, a part of her missed that shy little boy that she first met in the Enchanted Forest. It also didn’t help that Regina felt like she was losing her eldest child as well. In just a year, Henry would be off at college...by himself...without her. That wasn’t something that she was ready for. As if on cue, Regina heard the familiar sound of Henry’s car and watched him pull into a parking spot, music blasting. She watched as Henry and Violet both climbed out. The two teens linked hands and walked into the school, ready to conquer their senior year. Just the thought of Henry having a girlfriend was not something that Regina was very comfortable with either. Violet was a nice girl and Regina did really like her, but like a typical mother, no one was ever going to see good enough for Henry in her eyes. 

“Are you ready to head home, my love?” Robin asked. “We’ll be back before you know it to pick him up.” 

“Oh, yeah sure,” Regina replied before wandering back to the car. Seeing that his wife was still very distracted, Robin steered her towards the passenger seat and he situated himself in the driver’s seat. The ride back home was quiet. Robin knew that something was bothering Regina. She was only ever silent when she was upset. 

“Love, are you alright?” 

“What?” Regina replied as she was pulled from her thoughts. “I’m fine,” she added, before staring back out the window. 

“You seem to forget that I have developed the ability to know when you’re lying,” Robin told her. “Now, I'm going to try this again. Are you alright?” Regina turned back towards her fiancé and he could see that her eyes were shining from tears. 

“They’re both just getting so big and I feel like I’m losing them.” 

“Roland’s only six,” Robin laughed. “He’s pretty far off from being grown up.”

“I know but still, he’s changed so much since we first became a family. And Henry I don’t-” Her voice broke as she tried to choke back tears. “I’m not ready for him to leave. Today just brings up memories from when they were little. I just miss those times.” Robin gave Regina a look of confusion. He couldn’t help but feel that there was more to this mood of hers...something deeper. 

“You know that they come back from college right?” 

“I know. It’s just...He’s my baby...my first baby. I’m not ready to let him go,” Regina replied. She felt herself getting more nervous as Robin probed more and more with his questions. Regina had been having these feelings for a while. She was definitely going to miss Henry when he went off to college, but there was a bigger issue eating away at her heart. Regina Mills had baby fever and there was no denying it. Anytime that she was around a baby, she could feel her heart begin to flutter. She often thought about how amazing it would be to carry a baby of her own...her and Robin’s baby. There was only one problem with that scenario and she had caused it years ago. Ever since Regina drank that infertility potion, she regretted it. She still remembered the pain that occurred just after she took the potion. Though that pain was practically unbearable at that moment, it didn’t even compare to the pain that she felt in her heart knowing that she’d never get to feel the joy of carrying a baby of her own. She knew that she should be thankful for the children that she had. Henry, Roland, and Addy were the loves of her life. However, lately, Regina had been feeling like there was someone missing from their family. It was a feeling that didn’t make sense, but it was a feeling that she couldn’t shake. 

“He’ll always be your baby,” Robin told her. “even when he leaves for college. And I know that Roland is getting bigger but he still needs his mama. And that little one in the back, she’s less than two years old. She’s gonna need her mama for years to come, especially because I don’t know anything about raising girls,” he added with a laugh. Regina smiled and looked back at Addy sleeping in her carseat. 

“I know, you’re right. I’m just being silly,” Regina replied. 

“No, I didn’t say that,” Robin told her. “I love our kids and I love our life, but if you’re ready to start all over again...you can count me in.” Regina felt her jaw drop. 

“What?”

“I’m not blind, Regina,” he told her. “I see how you look at every baby in Storybrooke. You’re not very subtle. All I’m saying is that I’m in, no matter what.” 

“Robin, as much as I would love that, you know it isn’t even a possibility,” Regina told him. “I’ve told you about the potion.” 

“And how many curses have been broken by true love's kiss in this town?” Robin shot back. “Regina, we’re true loves. We’re soul mates. How do you know that the effects of that potion haven’t already been reversed?” Regina was speechless. She had never thought about that. True love was a powerful source of magic...it could have worked. 

“Even if that is true, we’d be crazy to try for a baby,” Regina said. “We’ll have the stress of Henry going to college and Addy is still little. Plus we’re getting married in two months and there’s still so much to plan for that. We can’t. Can we?” she rambled. 

“Love, I’ve already said it. If you want a baby, then I’m in. I mean it doesn’t hurt to try. I’ve heard that practice makes perfect,” Robin told her with a smirk on his face. Regina couldn’t believe this was happening. She felt like Robin had just given her a tiny shred of hope that carrying a baby of her own could be a reality. Even if she couldn’t get pregnant, at least she’d get the opportunity to “practice” with Robin...that was definitely something to look forward to. 

 


	17. Bachelorette Party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regina has her bachelorette party and things get a bit out of control

Regina had been dreading this day ever since Snow had first brought it up. “Regina, you have to have one!” she had insisted. “Every bride has a bachelorette party. It’ll be so much fun.” 

“No, absolutely not. It’s not like Robin and I are these young kids. We have three kids for god's sake,” Regina retorted as she tried to focus on the laundry that she was folding.  

“You made me your maid of honor and I insist that we have a bachelorette party. It could even just be a dinner out or getting pedicures or something. I won’t make it a big thing. Please, just let me plan you something special,” Snow pleaded. Regina rolled her eyes. She could see how much Snow wanted to plan this party...frankly, it was annoying, but it was also sweet. She couldn’t help but cherish how far their relationship had come over the past few years. 

“Fine,” Regina finally agreed. “You can plan something.” 

“Oh!!! This is going to be great!” Snow replied as she pulled the older woman into a hug. Regina smirked at her stepdaughter. She had a feeling that this bachelorette party was going to be pretty lame. Snow wasn’t the biggest partier of the bunch. However, Regina knew what battles to fight and which ones to give in on. Letting Snow plan this party for her would make her happy so Regina was just going push through the night.

Around 5 o’clock on the night of her bachelorette party, Regina heard her doorbell ring. “Here we go,” she muttered as she pushed herself up from the couch. She walked to the front door and opened it. Standing on her front porch were Snow, Emma, Belle, Ruby, and Tinkerbell. Regina had known about Snow, Emma and Tinkerbell coming because they were her bridesmaids, but Ruby and Belle were a bit of a surprise. She had never been particularly close with the wolf before or even after the first curse broke. And, Belle didn’t seem like the bachelorette party type. She was more of a curl up with a good book kind of girl. 

“Are you ready for a crazy night!?!” Snow asked. 

“I sure am…” Regina replied hesitantly. “Let me just grab my purse and we can go.” 

“Oh, you’re not going in that,” Snow began. 

“What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?” Regina retorted, looking down at her grey pantsuit. 

“Regina, this is a bachelorette party, not a meeting at the office,” Emma interjected. “Besides, Ruby has your outfit picked out.” 

“Yeah, I’ll pass. I don’t think the wolf and I share the same taste in clothing.” 

“That’s for sure,” Ruby mumbled. 

“Anyway, Tink is gonna do your hair and Ruby is gonna do your make-up,” Snow said. “This is part one of your bachelorette party. You just have to trust us.” 

“Fine,” Regina replied with a sigh. 

“Good, now we’ll need to commander your bedroom,” Snow insisted. 

“Robin and the kids are watching a movie in there,” Regina interjected. 

“Well they’ll have to vacate the premises,” Emma said. “Henry knows about Operation Bachelorette Party. He should have known better.” Before Regina even knew what was happening, the group of girls ushered her upstairs. They kicked Robin and the kids out and sent them downstairs. Then, they flocked to Regina to start her make-over. They sat her down in a chair in her bathroom and gave her a glass of red wine. Tink set to work on curling her hair while Ruby did her make-up. 

“Where exactly are we going tonight?” Regina asked, feeling a bit nervous about the events to come. 

“That’s a secret,” The fairy replied as she uncurled one lock of Regina’s hair from the curling iron. 

“I kind of assumed that with Snow planning tonight...it’d be a pretty calm night,” Regina replied. 

“Oh just you wait, tonight will be anything but calm,” Ruby replied to her with a smirk.  “Now, look up,” she commanded as she applied mascara to Regina’s eyelashes. “There! My work here is done,” 

“Mine too!” Tink exclaimed. “Now, your outfit is sitting over there, so we’ll give you some time to change,” she added before she and Ruby left the bathroom. Regina looked in the mirror. Her hair was pulled off to one side and it was curled. It was a hairstyle that she’d do for herself, but she had to admit, it looked really good. The make-up was a bit much but she wasn’t going to fight it. She walked over to the counter where Tink had laid her outfit out. Just looking at the shoes, she knew her feet were going to be dying tonight. Apparently, wherever they were going, she needed black, strappy high heels. The outfit also included a pair of blue skinny jeans that were skin tight. Finally, she looked at her shirt. “Oh hell no…” It was a black crop top that said “I’m getting married!” and on the back, it read “Bride.” Reluctantly, she threw on the top and looked at herself in the mirror. In her opinion, she looked like a hooker. She took a deep breath and opened up the bathroom door. Waiting for her in her bedroom were all of the girls who were wearing matching t-shirts that read “So we’re getting drunk!”  

“Oh my goodness Regina, you look great!” Snow exclaimed. 

“I don’t know if that’s the word I’d use,” she replied quietly. 

“Seriously Regina, you look hot,” Emma told her. “Robin’s gonna be blown away when we go downstairs.” 

“You think?” she asked self-consciously as she wrapped her arms around her bare stomach, which was an area of her body that she wasn’t very comfortable showing in public. 

“He’s your soulmate!” Tink interjected. “You’re welcome by the way. But, regardless, he loves you, especially when you look this good. Now, let’s go! It’s time to party!” The women let out a cheer and ushered Regina downstairs where Robin and the kids were sitting on the couch. Robin’s eyes instantly went to Regina as soon as she made it downstairs. He had never seen her looking so sexy. She was always sexy to him, but this outfit was almost too much for him to handle. 

“Wow…Regina, you look…wow,” Robin stuttered out as he walked closer to his fiancé. 

“I guess we’re heading out…” She began. “Unless you have a reason for me not to go.” Robin could tell Regina was nervous. She wasn’t one to let her walls down and just relax for a night, but if anyone needed a girls’ night out, it was Regina. 

“Nope, have a great time,” Robin replied cheekily as he went in for a kiss. 

“And they’ll be none of that!” Snow interjected, yanking Regina away from Robin. “Tonight, she’s a single woman! Ladies, it’s time to head out.” Regina gave Robin one last longing look before she was pushed out the front door by the rest of the women. The group of women made their way out to Emma’s yellow bug and piled in. 

“So, are you going to tell me where we’re going?” Regina asked as they began to drive. 

“You’ll just have to see.” Snow replied in a sing-song voice. They continued to drive until Emma pulled up to a large black building that read “The Round Table” 

“What is this place?” Regina asked. 

“It’s this really amazing new club that one of the guys from Camelot started,” Ruby replied. “We’re in for a wild night.” They all climbed out of the car and headed into the club. Once inside, they all got a chance to look around. The music was blasting and the room was dark, only lit up by the multicolored disco ball hanging from the ceiling. “Alright, let’s get some drinks and get this party started.” Ruby led the charge over to the bar. “Can I have six Apple Jacks shots?” she asked. The bartender nodded, set six shot glasses on the bar and filled them up with butterscotch, sour apple, and cinnamon schnapps. When they were filled, Ruby handed them out to everyone. 

“I think we should make a toast!” Snow said as she held her shot glass in the air. “To Regina, congratulations on finding your happily ever after. I know that you and Robin are going to be so happy together.” 

“And cheers to a wild night!” Tink added. 

“Cheers!” The ladies exclaimed as they knocked their shots back. 

“Whew, that was strong,” Belle said as she wrinkled up her nose. 

“Come on Belle, that was nothing,” Regina replied. “I could honestly use another one of those. They taste and smell exactly like Apple Jacks cereal, which I happen to love.”  

“The bride has spoken,” Emma said before disappearing back to the bar to get another round of shots. She returned in a few moments and the women slammed back their second shot of the night. 

“Who wants to dance? I want to dance!” Tink exclaimed. 

“Me!” Ruby replied. 

“You guys go ahead,” Regina replied. 

“You’re not getting off that easy. Let’s go!” Tink told her. “Take another shot if you need it but you’re dancing.” Before Regina could reply, Tink grabbed onto Ruby’s hand and pulled her onto the dance floor amongst the crowd. Emma, Regina, and Belle opted to grab a table by the bar and continue to drink. The next few hours were a blur while the women continued to pound back drinks. Before they knew it they were all drunk. Ruby and Tink hadn’t left the dance floor and were both currently dancing with two very large muscular men. Belle had also joined them. After downing two shots and a long island iced tea, which she hadn’t realized had alcohol in it, she was plastered. It became very apparent that drunk Belle loved to dance...however, that did not mean that she was good at it. Snow turned out to be an aggressive drunk, which was strange because of her normally hopeful and optimistic demeanor. 

“Who wants to play me in darts?” She slurred. “Cowards!” she exclaimed when no one took her up on her offer. Instead, she decided to situate herself back at the bar and watch Regina and Emma, who had found their way into a beer pong tournament. 

“Come on Swan! Your aim is terrible!” Regina drunkenly yelled. 

“Me! All the cups that we’ve gotten have been from my throws!” Emma retorted. “You haven’t sunk a single shot!” 

“That’s because I’ve drunk all the cups of beer and I am drunk off my ass right now!” 

“Will one of you just shoot!” Snow yelled from the barstool. Emma took her shot and narrowly missed the cup. Regina was next. She held the bar in the air and squinted her one eye and stuck her tongue out in concentration. She released the ball and it landed in the first cup. 

“Yes!!! Who’s a bad shot now?” She exclaimed. The two guys that they were playing took their turn next. Both guys landed their throws and both Regina and Emma groaned as they picked up the red solo cups full of beer. 

“God, I still hate beer,” Regina groaned. “It tastes and looks like pee.” 

“I don’t mind it. When you’re living in your car for so long, cheap beer starts to taste like two hundred dollar scotch,” Emma replied as she finished off her cup. 

“That’s kind of depressing…” Regina said and then she paused for a moment. “It’s my bachelorette party! No negative words! You owe me a shot for attempting to bring me down.” 

“I’ll buy you a shot if the two of you will just take your turn. We don’t have all night,” The one guy on the opposite side of the table yelled. 

“I will take you up on that offer!” Regina exclaimed as she pointed at the taller man. The man rolled his eyes and went off to the bar to buy them more shots. Meanwhile, Regina took her turn and actually landed a ball in a cup. Emma did the same thing leaving only two cups left on their side. 

“What did I miss?” The man asked as he returned with two shots. 

“Us kicking your ass!” Regina retorted as she knocked back her shot and slammed it down on the bar table next to her. 

“What she said,” Emma replied as she downed her shot. “Now, let’s hurry this game up. Do you think you boys could lose already?” The two men looked at one another and groaned. Clearly winning this game was not worth putting up with two completely wasted women. Both men took their shots and missed. It all came down to these next two shots. Emma shot first. The ping pong ball flew through the air and bounced off of one cup and into the cup next to it. “Yes!” Emma exclaimed. “One more! Come on Regina!” Regina concentrated on the cup and then let the ball fly. There was a large splash as the plastic hit the water inside of the cup. “You did it!” 

“Take that!” Regina slurred at the two men. 

“Good game,” the men grumbled before heading back to the bar to get another drink. Meanwhile, Regina and Emma continued to high five. 

“I need another drink!” Regina exclaimed as she took Emma by the hand and drug her over to the bar. “I want one of those apple shot thingies...no, two! Each!” 

“Madam Mayor, you’ve had quite a few… I don’t know…” 

“Aren’t you a bartender?” Emma slurred. 

“Yes, sheriff, I am,” the man replied. 

“And can you read?” 

“Yes,” the man replied once more. 

“So, tell me what her shirt says,” Emma commanded as she drunkenly staggered closer to the bar. “Oh shit, it’s on the back. Regina, turn around.” The brunette did as she was told. She was too drunk to figure out Emma’s plan at the moment so she just decided to go with it. “What does this say?” Emma said pointing to the word printed on the back of Regina’s t-shirt.

“Bride.” 

“Correct!” Emma exclaimed as she pointed a finger in his face. “She’s the bride and if she wants some fucking shots, she’s gonna get them! So start pouring the liquor.” Just then Emma noticed her mother, who was practically slumped over on the other side of the bar. “Mom! Come do shots with us!” she called. Snow practically fell out of her seat as Emma’s voice shook her from her drunken daze. 

“Someone say shots?” she asked as she got off the barstool and walked over.

“Six apple thingies!” Regina declared. Not looking for more of a fight, the man did as he was told and poured out six Apple Jacks shots and set them on the bar top. 

“Cheers to Regina!” Snow exclaimed as she and Regina knocked back their two shots. Emma went for her shots but Regina was too quick and swiped both, making it a total of four shots in like a minute. 

“Hey! Those were mine!” Emma retorted 

“Whoops, sorry,” Regina apologized. “Let me get you another,” Suddenly, the sound of the beat dropping was enough to draw the inebriated woman out to the dance floor. “I love this song!” Regina proclaimed pulling Snow and Emma along with her to the dance floor. In her black strappy heels, she managed to climb up onto a table and start dancing. It wasn’t long before she was joined by all the women who had brought her out tonight. The bartender looked over at the very drunk women and could only shake his head. 

“Oh hell no,” The man muttered. He picked up his phone from behind the bar and dialed the number for the sheriff’s station. 

“Sheriff’s station,” came David’s voice from over the phone. 

“Hey David, it’s Al down at The Round Table,” The bartender began. “I’m going to need you to come and pick up your wife, daughter, and their friends. I think they’ve had one too many tonight and I’m pretty sure that they drove here.” 

“Really? They’re that drunk?” 

“They’re more than drunk, Sheriff. They’re wasted.” 

“Alright, I’ll be there soon, ” David replied. 

“You may want to give Robin Hood a call. The mayor seems like she should probably get home soon. She’s gonna regret tonight in the morning.” 

“Will do,” David replied with a laugh. “See you in a little bit,” he added before hanging up the call. The bartender just shook his head. Now, all he could do was wait and watch to make sure no one got seriously injured. While he had been on the phone, the song had switched and Whitney Houston’s “Dance with Somebody” was blasting through the sound system. The mayor was currently using a half full beer bottle as a microphone, which was strange because he hadn’t given her a beer so he had no idea where she had gotten it from. 

“This is so fun!” Regina proclaimed loudly into Snow’s ear on the dance floor. 

“I told you!” Snow yelled back 

“I give you credit. I thought tonight was gonna suck because you’re pretty boring,” Regina slurred.

“Mean…” Snow replied, her hand over her chest. 

“But it didn’t suck,” Regina slurred. “You’re a good maid of honor.” Snow’s eyes filled with tears and she pulled the drunk mayor into a hug and surprisingly, Regina didn’t pull away. Instead, she embraced her stepdaughter and her eyes filled with tears as well. It was clear that they had hit the weepy drunk stage. 

“Ugh, get a room,” Emma groaned at her mother and Regina. She had lost a bit of energy since their beer pong game and was sobering up. Luckily for Emma, David and Robin arrived in the parking lot. David parked his truck next to Emma’s yellow bug and the two men got out. 

“I can’t imagine Regina drunk,” Robin told David. “She barely drinks anymore.” 

“Yeah, well Al said she seemed the drunkest by far tonight,” David told him. “If I know my wife, she only had like two drinks but she’s drunk. Emma’s normally pretty good at holding her alcohol, but I guess we’ll just have to see.” David opened up the front door and he and Robin went inside. Their eyes grew wide as they caught sight of all the women dancing on tables near the dance floor. 

“Glad you guys are here. I think it’s time to cut this bachelorette party off,” Al replied. David and Robin gave the man a nod and headed to the dance floor to retrieve their respective women. 

“Alright ladies, the party’s over,” David announced. 

“Charming? Robin? What are you doing here?” Snow slurred. 

“Got a call that you guys have been having a little too much fun. I think it’s time we get you all home,” David told his wife as he helped her down off the table. “Ruby, Tink, Belle, let’s go. Taxi’s leaving,” he called to the women on the dance floor who shot him dirty looks before shrugging their shoulders. “Where is Emma?” David asked. 

“She followed Regina to the bathroom,” Tink told him. 

“I’ll get them,” Robin told David. “You take those four to the car,” he added motioning to the four stumbling women. With an approving nod from David, Robin journeyed to the bathroom. It was a single stall so Robin knocked and saw that the door was unlocked. He tentatively pushed it opened and saw Emma standing behind his fiancé holding her hair back as she hovered over the dirty bar toilet. “She okay?” Robin asked Emma quietly. 

“One too many Apple shot thingies, I think,” Emma replied. Regina didn’t even seem to acknowledge Robin’s presence. He watched as his fiancé breathed heavily over the toilet bowl, trying desperately not to lose all the alcohol that she had consumed over the course of the night. 

“Why don’t you head out to your car,” Robin suggested. “Your dad is out there trying to get your mom, Ruby, Belle, and Tink in the car. I’ve got her handled.” 

“Though I feel like I should stay, I’m still a little tipsy and pretty tired, so here’s your bride,” she added motioning to Regina before leaving the bathroom. With just the two of them left in the bathroom, Robin closed the bathroom door to give his future wife some privacy. Then, he took over Emma’s spot and pulled back Regina’s dark locks just in time for her to lean over the toilet and lose the contents of her stomach. She coughed and sputtered as the majority of the alcohol she had just ingested reappeared in the toilet bowl. 

“Ooh love, I hope you had fun tonight because you are gonna hate yourself in the morning,” Robin said softly. 

“Robin?” she slurred, finally realizing that Emma had left her. 

“Yes, it’s me.” 

“I-I think I’m drunk,” the woman said matter of factly as though it wasn’t obvious.

“I’d say that’s a safe bet,” Robin told her with a laugh. “Still nauseous?” Regina shook her head. “Alright, then let’s get you home. Can you stand?” Regina tried to push herself up, but her legs seemed to be failing her. With a sigh, Robin lifted his heavily intoxicated fiancé up and over his shoulder. He walked through the bar with Regina hung over his shoulder. 

“Have a good night,” Robin said with a wave to Al before walking back into the parking lot. David had given him the keys to his truck so he could drive Regina home while he took the rest of the girls home. Robin situated Regina in the front seat and buckled her in.  “If you have to throw up, you need to tell me, okay?” He told her. “I don’t think David will appreciate you doing it in his car.” 

“Still wanna dance…” Regina slurred, her head lolling forward. 

“I think you’ll have to retire your dancing shoes for the night, my love,” Robin told her with a laugh as he went around to get in on the other side. He climbed into the driver’s seat and started the car before driving the short distance home. By the time they got home, Regina was passed out in the front seat. “Regina, we’re home,” Robin said as he unbuckled her. 

“What?” She groaned. 

“We’re home. Let’s get you inside.” Robin tried once more. He pulled his drunk fiancé from the truck and led her inside as she stumbled up the front walk. 

“W-where am I *hic* ?” She slurred. 

“I just told you. We’re home,” Robin replied as he unlocked the front door. “Try to be quiet, the kids are sleeping.” 

“Kids *hic* ?” 

“Jesus, you really are drunk,” Robin replied. 

“I’m fiiiiine *hic*,” she slurred as she broke away from Robin’s hold and stumbled over to the couch and flopped down face first

“Regina, your bed is upstairs.” 

“ ‘m good here,” she replied, her voice muffled by the sofa. Robin just sighed. There was no use in fighting with her. Instead, he went into the kitchen and grabbed Regina a bottle of water and two aspirin before returning. 

“Love, you need to take these and drink this,” 

“No *hic* ,” She replied stubbornly, batting away his hand. 

“Regina-” 

“Ugh,” she groaned, once again pushing him away. 

“Fine, you’re gonna regret this in the morning,” Robin warned. He took the opportunity to slip off Regina’s black high heels and then place a blanket over her. Robin opted to sleep in the recliner because he was a bit worried that his fiancé would choke on her own vomit and die. That would sure put a damper on their upcoming nuptials.

The next morning, Robin woke up to Roland nudging him. “Papa!

“Roland? What?” Robin asked, his voice rough from sleep. 

“I’m hungry and Addy is crying.” 

“Okay, I’ll go get her,” Robin replied as he pushed himself up from the uncomfortable recliner. He stretched and groaned at the aching in his neck and back. 

“Papa, why is Mama sleeping on the couch?” 

“Mama...uhh, stayed up a bit too late last night,” Robin told his youngest son. 

“Why didn’t she just go sleep in her bed?” 

“Let’s just go get your sister, okay,” Robin told him, trying to change the subject. He went upstairs into the nursery and grabbed Addy who was standing up in her crib screaming. “Good morning, little girl,” he cooed as he picked her up. Robin pressed a kiss to his daughter’s forehead and brushed her wild strawberry blonde curls back. “Are you hungry?”

“Eat,” the little girl babbled back. “Nana” 

“You want a banana?” Robin asked and the little girl nodded. “I think I can get that.” Robin took Roland and Addy downstairs and got them both breakfast. He grabbed a banana for Addy and cut it into pieces and then got Roland his usual bowl of cereal. 

“Is Mama gonna wake up soon?” Roland asked from his chair at the kitchen table. 

“I’m not sure. We should try and be quiet though. Mama’s head might hurt a bit when she wakes up,” Robin told him. 

“She’s sick again?” 

“Well...not exactly,” 

“Mom is passed out on the couch,” Henry said loudly as he walked into the kitchen, still dressed in his pajamas. “Did you know?” 

“Yes, I know,” Robin retorted. “Keep it down.” Suddenly, they all heard Regina begin to stir. Groans echoed into the kitchen and then the sound of feet running pounded through the hallway and were punctuated by the sound of the hall bathroom door slamming. “I’m going to go check on her,” Robin said. He walked to the bathroom and could hear the sound of Regina once again emptying her stomach into the toilet. “Round two…” he groaned with a sigh before heading into the bathroom. 

“Henry?” Roland asked. “Papa said Mama isn’t sick but I can hear her throwing up.” 

“Mom’s hungover.” 

“What’s hungover mean?” 

“It’s like … you know when you eat too many sweets and it makes your belly hurt.” Henry began. 

“Yeah. Did Mama eat too many sweets?” 

“Sort of,” Henry told him. “...except she drank them.” 

“Is she gonna be okay?” 

“She’ll be fine,” Henry reassured his younger brother. “Just eat your cereal.” Roland seemed satisfied with Henry’s answer and went back to his cereal. 

Back in the bathroom, Regina had finally stopped vomiting. “Did you at least have fun last night?” Robin asked. 

“I-I think so. The events of last night are bit fuzzy” Regina confessed. 

“I don’t know if The Round Table is going to let you and the rest of your friends back in,” Robin replied with a laugh. “You were all a bit wild.” 

“God, I should have never listened to Tink and Ruby,” Regina groaned. “My head is pounding.” 

“Let’s go get some aspirin and water for you then.” Regina leaned into Robin’s side and headed into the kitchen. She was still feeling a bit nauseous but maybe some water and food would do her good. “Look who’s up,” Robin announced to the kids. 

“How you doing, mom?” Henry asked her with a smirk on his face. 

“Don’t start with me, young man,” Regina shot back. “One of these days you’ll feel like I feel and if you want me to have any sympathy for you, you’ll tread lightly here.” Henry held his hands up in defense. 

“Love, let me get you something to eat. How about some toast with butter?” Robin offered. It was something small that would be good to settle her stomach. 

“You could have Apple Jacks like me!” Roland suggested. “See Mama, they’re good,” he exclaimed as he shoved the bowl of cereal in her face. One whiff of the cereal and Regina was thrown back into last night and she remembered all the shots that she had consumed. She once again clapped a hand over her mouth and ran back to the bathroom. Robin just sighed. It was gonna be a long day. He had hoped that Regina’s bachelorette party would be a night that she would never forget...however, it seemed like it turned out to be the exact opposite. It was a night that she would never remember. 


	18. Cold Feet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's finally the day of the Regina and Robin's wedding and everyone is rushing to get ready. However, our bride seems to be having a bit of cold feet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who is still keeping up with this story. I know that I am not posting as frequently as I was. I just started a new full-time job as a Labor and Delivery Nurse so I am pretty busy but writing keeps me sane. I'm hoping to update about once a week but the day that it gets out will vary. Regardless, I hope you all are enjoying this story and make sure to stay tuned because I've got much more planned for our favorite Outlaw and Queen and their family! 
> 
> Also just a note: There are multiple links throughout this chapter of things like Regina's Dress and her hair and the wedding space. If you click on them, you will be able to see the pictures that I based all the special details on.

The first thing that Regina thought when she woke up was, “Where am I?” Looking around the room, it didn’t take her long to realize that she wasn’t lying in her comfortable bed in her own room. Instead, she was currently lying on the springy mattress in the loft of the Charmings’ apartment. The next thing she noticed was that it wasn’t Robin lying beside her. Instead, it was eighteen-month old, Addy who was snuggled up beside her.  Suddenly, a realization hit Regina and it explained her change of sleeping location. Today was her wedding day.  

The feeling was a bit surreal. On her last wedding day, she had been filled with so many emotions,though none of them were positive. Grief had been the most prevalent feeling that she felt on that day. There had been no room in her heart to even try and love the King when she was so consumed by her loss of Daniel.  She had also been terrified. At the age of eighteen, she was nowhere near ready to be a wife to someone twice her age, especially a man that she did not love. The last feeling that she had on that day was rage. This, being stuck in a loveless marriage and being forced to be a surrogate mother to the child who had ruined her life, was not how Regina had envisioned her future. Needless to say, the feelings that she felt now were vastly different from those on her past wedding day. She felt this overwhelming sense of joy when she thought about the events that were going to happen later in the day.  Thinking about Robin standing at the end of the flower covered aisle waiting for her was enough to make her heart flutter. She could see Henry, Roland and Addy, dressed to the nines as they watched their parents declare their love for one another. They were already a family, but now it would be official. Regina could also feel the butterflies fluttering in her stomach...she was nervous. She was so happy, but Regina couldn’t help but wait in anticipation for the other shoe to drop. She didn’t get to be happy. That seemed to be a rule in her life. 

“Knock, knock,” came Snow’s soft voice as she climbed the ladder into the loft. “Did you sleep well?” 

“As well as I could on this springy mattress,” Regina retorted in a whisper so she wouldn’t wake Addy. Snow had insisted that she and Addy spend the night at her apartment so she wouldn’t see Robin in the morning. It was bad luck after all, so Regina had agreed…however, that was before she knew how truly horrific the Charmings’ guest bed felt. Snow tiptoed over and gently took a seat on the bed next to Regina. 

“Well, we’ve had it since the first curse meaning its existence was your doing. You could have provided something better,” Snow quipped back.

“Well, I did hate you back then, dear. The mattress may have been part of my plot to ruin your life.” Regina replied with a smirk. 

“In all seriousness, are you ready for today?” 

“I think so…” Regina replied, a bit of hesitation in her voice. “I-I’m nervous,” Snow reached out and took Regina’s hand into her own. 

“Everything is going to be perfect. Robin loves you with all his heart. It doesn’t take a genius to see that. The way that he looks at you Regina...it’s just pure love. And, you don’t have to worry about the ceremony or the reception. It is my personal mission to make sure that this day goes off without a hitch. You deserve a wonderful wedding day,” Snow told her. Regina was about to reply when the sound of the front door opening downstairs echoed through the house and subsequently woke Addy up. The little girl looked around, clearly confused at where she was and looked towards her mother.  

“Mama,”

“Good morning, my sweet girl,” Regina cooed as pulled Addy into her lap. Clearly still tired, Addy nestled her head into her mother’s chest and popped her thumb into her mouth. It was a new habit that Addy had picked up after the “Binky Fairy” escapade. While Regina knew it was a problem, today was not the day to pick a fight with her toddler. 

“That’ll be Emma and the rest of the girls,” Snow told her. “Should we go downstairs? There’s a lot to do.” Regina nodded and stood up with Addy still in her arms before following Snow downstairs. 

“There’s the bride!” Tink exclaimed. “...and the flower girl.  Good morning, Miss Addy,” The little girl hid shyly against her mother’s chest. 

“We brought breakfast,” Ruby announced. “Apple pancakes, hash browns and of course, mimosas,” she explained as she put the plastic bags full of food on Snow’s countertop. “Let’s dig in because Tink and I have a lot of work to!” The women dug into to the apple pancakes and talked happily as they ate. When they had finished, it was time to start getting ready. 

“Miss Addy, would you like to come and play with me?” Belle asked. The little girl, who had been quite clingy to Regina this morning, gave a tentative nod and reached her arms out to the librarian, who readily took her into her arms. Lately, Belle had been doing a lot of babysitting for them when Regina was at work and Robin had to handle things at camp with the Merry Men. Roland, being such an adventurous child,  much preferred tagging along with his father on his adventures in the forest, but Addy was always content to stay with Belle. Regina had come home many a time to find Addy nestled in Belle’s lap listening intently to a story from one of Belle’s many storybooks.Regina watched as Belle took Addy upstairs and smiled. She could hear the older women speak so sweetly to the little girl as she chose a new story for the two of them to begin reading. With Addy taken care of, Regina felt like she could focus on getting herself ready. 

“Alright Regina, are you ready?” Tink asked as she continued to unpack her bag of hair essentials. 

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” Regina replied as she took a seat in the high bar stool at Snow’s kitchen counter.  With that, Tink began to curl Regina’s hair. 

“So for your make-up, I was thinking a very natural look. You’re already beautiful, Regina so we don’t have to do much,” Ruby began. The wolf’s compliment initially shocked Regina. The two of them had never been incredibly close, before or after the first curse broke. There was one thing that was abundantly clear. Ruby was the best make-up artist in Storybrooke and Regina was glad to have her. 

“I think a natural look sounds good,” Regina replied. She listened to Ruby’s prompts at how to hold her head as she applied a layer of foundation and then brushed some highlighter and blush on her cheeks. 

“This brown will highlight your eyes and it’s just shiny enough to make them pop,” Ruby explained. “Close your eyes for me.” Regina did as she told and allowed Ruby to brush the shimmery powder over her eyelids. After finishing that, Ruby applied a thin line of black eyeliner to Regina’s top lid. “Perfect, now open your eyes and look up,”  the girl instructed as she applied some mascara to lengthen Regina’s already long eyelashes.“Alright, finishing touches,” Ruby told her as she applied a pale pink lipstick to Regina’s lips. “There, I’m done!” 

“Hang on!” Tink retorted. “Let me finish before we have the big reveal!” She finished curling a few of Regina’s raven colored locks and then moved on to the final step of completing Regina’s wedding look. While on a shopping trip with Snow, Regina had found a beautiful floral headpiece that she had fallen in love with. The headpiece was white with tiny, ornate white flowers and pearls. Tink positioned the headpiece in Regina’s hair and secured with dark brown bobby pins that blended in with Regina’s natural hair color.  “I’m finished!” Tink and Ruby joined Emma and Snow, who had just finished getting one another ready. “Alright, Regina, you can turn around.” 

Regina took a deep breath and stood up off the stool and turned to face her bridesmaids. Gasps echoed through the apartment and Snow clapped a hand over her mouth, tears filling her eyes. 

“Regina, you look so beautiful. I can’t wait to see you in your dress,” Snow cried.

“You really look gorgeous,” Emma agreed, chiming in with her mother. “

“We should get you in your dress,” Tink said. “And I still have to do my hair and make-up.” 

“Snow...can you help me?” Regina asked.

“Of course,” Snow replied. “Let’s go,” she added before ushering Regina into her and Charming’s bedroom. They had hung Regina’s dress on their wardrobe last night when she came over with Addy.  Regina’s dress was gorgeous.It was a mermaid style dress with a sweetheart neckline. The entire dress was covered in an ornate lace pattern, including a pair of off the shoulder lace sleeves. The back of the dress was completely open and reveal Regina’s back. The fabric of the dress flowed down into a court length train that was completely made of lace. When she, Emma and Snow had found this dress, they just knew. This was Regina’s dress. 

“Alright, you can change and then I’ll help you pull the dress on,” Snow said as she started taking Regina’s dress off the hanger. Regina nodded and took all of her clothing but her bra and underwear off.  When she was ready, she stepped into the middle of the dress and Snow helped to bring the lace fabric up and over Regina’s body. She slipped her arms into the full length lace sleeves and situated them on her shoulders before Snow pulled up the zipper in the back. The dress was perfect. It hugged every curve and accentuated Regina’s tiny waist and flawless skin. “Don’t look yet. Let me get everyone,” Snow told her. “She’s ready!” she called and the sound of Ruby, Tink, Emma and even Belle and Addy’s footsteps resonated through the hardwood floors.  

“Okay Regina, we’re going to position you in front of the mirror. Close your eyes.” Emma said. With the help of Snow, Emma led Regina over to her mother’s full length mirror and positioned her in front of it. “Alright Regina, open your eyes on the count of three,” Emma said. “1…2…3.” Regina opened up her eyes and instantly tears filled her flooded her line of vision and she let out a tiny gasp.  She looked...beautiful. Most importantly, Regina felt like a bride. This wasn’t a feeling that she had experienced at her first wedding and it was truly overwhelming for her. She loved everything about how she looked. She loved her hair. She loved her make-up and she was absolutely in love with her dress. 

“Stop with the tears,” Ruby scolded playfully. “You’re gonna mess up my work!” she exclaimed as she walked over to Regina with a box of tissues. The brunette took a tissue and softly dabbed at her eyes. 

“I’m sorry,” Regina apologized, sniffing lightly. “This is just...a lot.” 

“How do you feel?” Snow asked. Regina let out a small sob and looked at herself in the mirror once again. 

“Beautiful...like a bride,” she cried

“We have a few final touches,” Snow told her. She walked over to her dresser and pulled out two little boxes. “This is a present from Emma, Tink and I. It’s your something new,” Snow opened the little box and revealed a delicate diamond necklace. 

“Oh...It’s beautiful,” Regina said. 

“Can I put it on you?” Snow asked and Regina nodded. She took the necklace out of the box and positioned it on Regina’s neck, careful not to get it stuck in her hair. “And, I have one more thing for you. It’s your something borrowed,” She opened the second box and inside were a pair of diamond earrings. “I wore these at my wedding and I would really like Emma to wear them at her wedding one day. However, I think it seems fitting for you to wear them as well.” 

“Thank you, Snow. They’re gorgeous,” Regina told her. She took the earrings from the box and put them into her ears. 

“Now that the bride is ready, We really need to get ready as well,” Tink said. “We have a wedding to get to after all.” Taking note of the time, Emma, Snow and Tink rushed to pull their bridesmaids dresses on. Their gowns were long, cranberry colored, chiffon dresses with sweetheart necklines and off the shoulder straps. Each of the girls also had a flower crown made with green stems and white roses.

“I think we have a flower girl who also wants to show off her dress,” Belle announced as she came down the stairs with Addy. 

“Oh my goodness! She looks so cute!” All the girls cooed. Regina once again wanted to cry when she saw her little girl. Addy was dressed in a little white dress that was made out of many layers of fluffy, white tulle and she sported a little pair of white ballerina flats. On her head, nestled within her strawberry blonde curls, was a smaller but identical flower crown that matched the rest of her bridesmaids.

“Come here sweet pea,” Regina cooed as she knelt down to Addy’s level. The little girl rushed over to her mother and cuddled into her embrace. “You look so beautiful,” 

“Pwetty!” Addy babbled, pointing towards her mother. “Princess!” 

“That’s right Addy, your mommy does look like a princess,” Snow told her. 

“Well, everyone seems to be ready,” Tink said. “Should we get going?” Everyone agreed and started getting their things together. Emma handed out the bouquets which were made up of white roses, scarlett sage flowers and other green springs. 

“Are you ready, Regina?” Snow asked, handing the bride her bouquet. 

“I am,” Regina said. “Let’s go get married.” 

 

 

Over at the mayoral mansion, Robin and his groomsmen were hanging out before the wedding. The pre-wedding prep for the groomsmen was far less time consuming than it was for Regina and her bridesmaids. The men had mostly been sitting around, twiddling their thumbs until Little John came up with the idea of doing a little target practice. He had Friar Tuck bring over a bunch of arrows from camp and some targets for them to practice on. 

“Little John! Will you help me?” Roland asked, running up to his uncle. 

“Oh course, my boy,” Little John replied as he helped the little boy set up his arrow. 

“Well, arrows have never been my thing, but I’m willing to give it a shot,” David said as he picked up a bow and arrow and looked it over.  “Hook? Care to give it a shot?” 

“I’m good, mate,” The pirate replied. “Bows and arrows aren’t exactly adaptable for those of us with less than two good hands,” he added, holding up his hook. “I’m good with my rum. Only need one hand for that.” Robin gave the man a smirk and shook his head. He only hoped that the man would still be coherent enough when he needed to stand up next to him later at the altar.  

“Would you like to learn, Henry?” 

“I-uhh...actually, could I talk to you for a second, Robin?” Henry asked. 

“Of course, my boy,” Robin replied. Henry walked over to the bench by his mother’s apple tree and took a seat, leaving enough room beside him for Robin to sit. “Is everything alright?” 

“I just wanted to talk to you. I know that I agreed to be your best man, but I’ve been thinking…” Henry began. 

‘You don’t want to be my best man?” Robin asked, a confused frown on his face. 

“It’s not that...There’s no one to walk mom down the aisle,” Henry told him. “I know she said she was just going to walk by herself but that just doesn’t seem right to me. Mom was so close with her dad and I know it’s going to be hard on her that he isn’t here. It’s going to be even harder because she’s the reason he isn’t here. I just feel like mom needs someone by her side. You’ll have David and Hook and Little John and Roland, but I just really feel like I need to be there...for her.” 

“I understand,” Robin told him. “Though I’m sad you won’t initially be by my side, I admire your love and support for your mother.”

“Thank you, Robin,” Henry replied. “I found this in her vault…” he began, pulling a white and blue handkerchief out of his pocket. “This was her father’s. These are his initials,” he added, pointing to the embroidery out to his soon to be step-father. “I figured that it’d kinda help her feel like he was with us when we walk down the aisle. And I talked to my grandma, She’ll need something old and something blue and this fits both.” 

“Well then, I think you better be there to give it to her,” Robin told her. 

“You promise you’re not mad?” 

“No, of course not,” Robin replied with a smile. “I suppose I do need a new best man though. I’d pick Little John, but he’s not the most eloquent of speakers. ”

“Grandpa is good and he can practically pull a speech out of his butt,” Henry replied with a laugh. 

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Robin replied. 

“I’m so glad that Mom has you,”  Henry said suddenly. “Next year is gonna be hard for her with me going to school so I’m glad that you, Roland and Addy will be there to take care of her when I’m not.” 

“I promise you, Henry. I will watch out for her...always.” At that moment, Henry leaned in and Robin pulled him into a hug. The two men had never been very touchy feely in the past, but it just seemed right at that moment.  

“If you two are done with your lovefest over there, we’re having a drink!” Hook called.  Henry and Robin walked over and met the other men who were uncapping a few bottles of beer. 

“Can I have one, Robin?” Henry asked. 

“Just this once,” Robin replied. “But don’t you dare tell your mother. I’ll never hear the end of it,” he added, handing a beer over to Henry. 

“A toast to Robin,” David began. “Congratulations on finding your soul mate and officially tying the knot.” 

“Cheers!” The men cheered as they clinked their beer bottles together. After finishing their drinks, the men cleaned up their target practice and headed off to get changed. Snow and Regina had insisted on grey tuxes with cranberry colored ties that matched the bridesmaid’s dresses. As Robin looked at himself in the mirror, he couldn’t believe that he was truly getting married today. From the moment that he had laid his eyes on Regina, Robin had been in love. Sure, she hadn’t exactly reciprocated those feelings at first, but she eventually came around and now, Robin couldn’t imagine his life without her. 

“Robin, mate… you ready to go?” Hook called. “We don’t want to be late.” 

“Yes, I believe I’m ready,” Robin replied as he took in one last deep breath. Hook was right. They had a wedding to go to and every single one of them knew that Regina (and mostly Snow) would have their heads if they were even five minutes late. 

 

 

After much planning, Snow and Regina had settled on a beautiful spot in the forest for the venue of the wedding, specifically the place that Robin had proposed. There was plenty of space to set up both a ceremony and reception space. Snow had asked Leroy and the rest of the dwarves to set the ceremony space up considering everyone else would be busy getting ready for the wedding. He had reluctantly agreed and convinced his brothers to do the same.  They had also decided that it would be best if Granny catered the event so Regina wouldn’t need to worry about cooking food to feed everyone. 

The men were the first to arrive at the venue. As soon as Robin stepped out of the car, he was astounded at the transformation of the space. There were wooden chairs on either side of the aisle to accommodate all of the guests.  White candles lined the aisle and white rose petals were spread over the path. At the end of the aisle was wooden archway draped in a flowing white sheet with few strands of white twinkling string lights draped over it. 

“What do you think?” Leroy asked as he came up behind Robin and clapped him on the back. 

“It looks amazing,” Robin replied, a large smile plastered on his face. 

“You haven’t even seen the reception space,” Leroy replied. 

“I can’t thank you and the rest of your brothers enough,” Robin replied. “Regina is going to love what you all have done.” 

“You’re both family at this point,” The dwarf replied honestly. “The Queen has definitely redeemed herself after all that she’s done for this town. You both deserve a beautiful wedding.” 

“Well, thank you so much,” Robin replied once more. 

“I’ll let you go and get ready. Guests are starting to arrive and Snow texted that they’re on their way,” Leroy told him. Robin felt his heart begin to speed up. Regina was on her way. This was happening...this was really happening. 

Just across town, Regina was feeling the same way that Robin was. Her stomach was a mess of nervous butterflies. The rational part of her knew that everything was going to be fine. They were essentially already married. They were living together, raising children together. All that they needed was a piece of paper to say that they were married. Emma, Snow, and Tink were talking animatedly to one another but Regina was quiet as she looked out of the window. She felt her breathing pick up as they pulled into a parking space. This was it...it was time for her to get married. The girls piled out of the car and Emma and Tink followed behind Regina to help her with her train so it wouldn’t get dirty. 

“It looks like everyone is here,” Ruby said as she walked up to them. “We’re all ready to start whenever you guys are ready.” 

“Alright, thank you,” Snow replied. “Regina, are you ready?” The brunette didn’t reply immediately. She could see the ceremony space from her point of view. It was beautiful and so much more than she had ever imagined. She could see Robin standing there at the end of the aisle and her eyes welled up with tears. 

“I think Mom needs a minute,” came Henry’s voice as he walked up to his mother. “Can you guys give us a minute alone?” he asked. Snow nodded and pulled Emma and Tink with her to give Henry and Regina some alone time. “Mom, are you alright?” Henry asked. 

“I-I don’t know if I can do this, Henry,” Regina stuttered out. “I’m freaking out. I-I can’t breathe,” she added, her hand pressed over her heaving chest. Henry had never seen his mother like this before. She looked genuinely terrified. He knew that he had a new mission to achieve and he had to act fast. Operation Get Mom Down The Aisle was a go. 


	19. I Do

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robin and Regina's Wedding!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I know it has taken me like forever to post this. Work has just been really rough but I don't want you guys to think I'm giving up writing. It just may take me longer to get things written. Regardless, I hope you all love Robin and Regina's wedding!
> 
> Also there is a link embedded in the story for the song that Regina and Robin's first dance is too if you would like to listen to it!

“Mom, you have to breathe,” Henry coaxed softly as he took his mother’s hands into his own. Regina’s eyes were wide with panic and her chest heaved as she hyperventilated. “Breathe in with me....and out,” He instructed. Regina locked eyes with her son and did as she was told. Gradually, she was able to regain control of her breathing. 

“Why aren’t you standing up next to Robin?” she asked quietly. 

“Someone needs to be here to make sure you walk down the aisle,” Henry replied with a smirk. Regina returned the smile before her face began to fall once more. 

“Henry…I’m so scared,” she confessed. 

“Of what?” 

“I-I guess just everything…I don’t know,” She rambled. “I know that Robin loves me and I love him too, but my last marriage...it nearly killed me. I just don’t know if I’m strong enough for this.”   
“First of all,” Henry began. “You are one of the strongest people I know. You can get through anything. Secondly, Robin is head-over-heels in love with you. I know that he would never do anything to hurt you. Our family means the world to him.” 

“That all makes sense to me...I know that, but there’s just this feeling. I just feel like at any moment the other shoe is going to drop and I’m going to lose everything.” She said, a tear rolling down her cheek. “Fate has not been kind to the men who fall in love with me.”

“When are you going to realize that you make your own destiny?” Henry asked as he reached into his suit pocket and pulled out the white and blue handkerchief that had been her father’s and used it to wipe the tears off her cheeks. 

“Where did you get this?” she asked with a small gasped as she pointed to the handkerchief. 

“Your vault,” Henry replied. “I figured that today might be hard for you, especially with him not being able to be here. So, I thought that having this would be like having a little piece of him walk you down the aisle. He always believed that you would find your happiness and so do I. Also, Grandma said she didn’t have any ideas for your something old and something blue items. I think this fits both of those requirements.” 

“How are you just…so amazing?” Regina replied with a smile. 

“I had a pretty great Mom who raised me,” Henry told her. “Now, are you ready to do this?” Regina took a deep breath. She looked towards the ceremony space and nodded. 

“I’m ready.” 

“Then, let’s do it,” Henry replied. He intertwined his arm with his mother’s and the two of them began walking to the center aisle. Upon seeing that Regina was ready, Snow, Emma, and Tink got into position. Music began to play and the wedding began. Tink was first to walk down the aisle, followed by Emma. Then, it was Snow's turn. She couldn’t help but look over at Charming smiling and think about her own wedding. Last to go before Regina was Roland and Addy. Roland walked next to his little sister and held the rings. Instead of a pillow, Snow had a great idea to use a wooden ring from a tree and make two little holes in it to hold each of the rings. Then, on the top, she had carved the date of the wedding, October 18th.Addy looked adorable as she tottled along next to her brother and threw her white rose petals all over the aisle.  About halfway down the aisle, she realized that she ran out of flower petals and looked around in confusion.

“More,” Addy babbled as she walked backwards and began to pick up the flowers that she had already thrown, which earned some laughs from the rest of the guests. Eventually, Belle walked over and picked up the little girl before taking her to sit down so the rest of the wedding could continue. Finally, the moment had come for Regina to walk down the aisle. 

At the end of the aisle, Robin’s heart was beating so fast knowing that he was going to see his bride any moment now. He had pictured this moment numerous times over the past few months and he couldn’t believe it was finally becoming a reality. As Henry and Regina walked towards the aisle, the rest of the guests stood up.Robin, upon seeing his soon to be wife, clapped a hand over his mouth as he choked back a few sobs. Regina was more beautiful than he had ever pictured. 

Upon seeing Robin cry, which was something he never did, Regina felt her own eyes well up with tears as she walked down the aisle towards him. When she and Henry got to the end, Robin stepped forward and shook Henry’s hand before pulling him into a hug and pressing a kiss to the top of his head. Henry smiled back at his soon to be step-father and took his spot in line with the rest of the groomsmen. Then Robin looked to Regina. He took her hands in his and looked deep into her eyes. “You look beautiful,” 

“Thank you,” Regina whispered back as she stared back at her true love standing before her. 

“Welcome everyone, we are gathered here today to witness the union of Regina Mills and Robin Locksley,” Archie began. “These two individuals and the love that they share for one another is proof that second chances do exist. I know that I and the rest of us here are so excited to watch the two of you pledge your love to one another,” he added. “Regina and Robin have chosen to write their own vows.” 

Robin was up first. He took a crumpled piece of paper out of his suit jacket pocket and held it in his shaking hands. “I-I wrote this down because I knew that once I saw you I would forget everything I wanted to say,” Robin began. “Regina, I knew I loved you from the moment we first met. Every day since then, I have fallen more and more in love with you. Today, I promise to love you fiercely. I promise you my unconditional love, tenderness, and undying devotion. I promise to not ask you to be more than you are and to love you for you. Regina…” He paused for a second and took a deep breath. “I have to catch my breath to believe this is real. I can’t believe that I get to marry my true love, my soulmate, and my best friend today. I can’t wait to see what life holds for the two of us and our beautiful family. I’m sure there will be twists and turns and ups and downs, but as long as you’re by my side, I know we’ll always get through it. I love you with every fiber of my being and I stand here today, ready to pledge myself to you.” He folded up his paper to signal that he was finished and looked up at Regina who was wiping tears from her cheeks. 

After taking a deep breath, Regina looked back at Robin and started her vows. “Robin, when we met, I was in one of the darkest points of my life when I didn’t know if I could go on any longer. I was lost and I didn’t think anyone was going to be able to find me. But then you came along and brought so much light into my life. You see past my darkness and see me for who I truly am.  You showed me that my heart was capable of love and that I was worthy and deserving of it. You have given me so much already.Because of you, I have two more children whom I love so much. It warms my heart to see you be such an amazing father figure for Henry.Robin, today I vow to love you as you love me, through all the hardships, darkness, and pain and promise to reach for our joys with honesty, faith, and hope. It is clear to me now that everything in my life has led me to you. I think back on all my choices and consider even the bad ones blessed, because if I had done even one thing differently, I might never have met you and had the chance to become your wife. You are my family, and I want to be there for you in all things, I am so excited to be your wife and share in every moment, not only the good times but the learning experiences too. I vow to take from every moment the opportunity to love, to nurture, and to grow with you. Above all, I promise to never forget how lucky I am to have you in my life.” 

“Alright Roland, Can I have the rings?” Archie asked. The little boy nodded and brought up the rings and handed them to Archie. Both Regina and Robin made sure to ruffle the little boy’s hair and smile before he took his place. “Alright, Robin, I’ll have you go first,” Archie began as he handed Regina’s ring over to Robin. “Robin, do you take Regina Mills to be your lawfully married wife, to have and to hold, for better and for worse, for richer and for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish until death do you part?” 

“I do,” Robin replied

“And Regina, do you take Robin Hood to be your lawfully married husband, to have and to hold, for better and for worse, for richer and for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish until death do you part?” 

“I do,” Regina said, a happy tear running down her cheek. At that moment, Robin took Regina’s ring and slipped it over her dainty finger and Regina did the same to Robin. 

“Robin, you may kiss your bride,” Archie announced. Robin, with a huge smile on his face, took Regina into his arms and pulled her in for a passionate kiss. She was caught off guard when he swept her off her feet and dipped her. 

“Robin!” she squealed with a laugh before launching back into a kiss. When they finally pulled apart, Regina and Robin looked out at their guests hand in hand. 

“Ladies and gentlemen, may I present Mr. and Mrs. Locksley!” Archie announced.  The guests applauded as Regina and Robin processed up the aisle and headed off with the rest of the bridal party to take some pictures while the reception area was being set up. 

When everything was set up and guests were in their seats, it was time to introduce the new bride and groom. Leroy had been selected as the MC for the night, mostly because he was the loudest of the bunch.  “Alright everyone, we’re going to get this party started!” Leroy said into the microphone. “We’re going to bring our bride and groom out and let them have their first dance as a newly married couple. So, let me introduce Mr. and Mrs. Locksley!” Hand in hand, Regina and Robin walked into the center of the reception space and the opening notes of the song, “Like There’s No Yesterday,” began playing over the sound system. Robin pulled Regina into his embrace and positioned his hands lightly on her waist while she wrapped her arms around Robin’s neck.  They swayed back and forth to the music with their foreheads pressed against one another’s. At that moment, both Regina and Robin forgot about the numerous guests around them and felt as though they were the only two people there.

“Are you happy?” Robin whispered softly into Regina’s ear. 

“So happy,” She replied with a huge smile on her face. All of her fears and doubts from before the wedding had disappeared. “Are you?” 

“Couldn’t be happier,” Robin told her. “I love you so much,” he added before pressing a kiss to her lips. She kissed him back and when they pulled away from one another, Regina laid her head on Robin’s shoulder. When the song came to an end, Regina and Robin broke from one another’s embrace and everyone clapped.  They made their way over to the sweetheart table for the two of them and took a seat. It was time for dinner...but first there were some important speeches to be made. 

“Can I have everyone’s attention?” Snow asked as she gently tapped her champagne glass with a fork. “I just wanted to make a toast to Regina and Robin on their special day,” she began. “Regina, I can’t say how happy I am to see that you have finally found your happily ever after. For so many years, I have seen you struggle and I am just so glad that you found happiness with Robin and your children. You truly have created such a beautiful family, one that I am so happy to be a part of,” she said her eyes filling with tears. “I remember when we first met Robin. When I asked Regina what she thought of him her first comment was that he smelled like forest...I could be wrong but I do believe that may be a smell she’s now grown quite fond off now.” That comment earned some laughs from the rest of the guests and a look of embarrassment from Regina as she hid her blushed cheeks into Robin’s arm. “Everyone here knows that finding this happy ending for the two of you hasn’t been easy. You’ve both weathered all of the setbacks and overcome seemingly impossible hurdles. However, True love is worth it and I know that’s what the two of you have found with one another. I wish you both every happiness in the world and Robin, I may not be as good of a shot as you, but if you hurt her, I assure you that my bow still works and I’ll be sure not to miss. Alright, that’s all I’ve got,” Snow added with a laugh before handing the microphone over to Little John, who Robin had ultimately picked to be his best man. 

“Hello everyone, I’m afraid my speech isn’t going to be as great as the last one. However, in my defense, I was only told that I’d be making this speech about two hours ago,” Little John began nervously. “I-uhhh-I’ve known Robin for many years. You can say that we’ve been through a lot together. Through it all, Robin never gave up on me or any of his other Merry Men because that’s just the type of man he is. I can tell you that I have never seen Robin happier than when he looks at Regina. As Snow said, it hasn’t been easy for the two of them to get to this point, but I do believe that it was their determination and love for one another that allowed them to find happiness. Neither one of them ever gives up, especially when it comes to the people that they love. To Regina, myself and the rest of the Merry Men already consider you and Henry a part of the family but it’s nice to make it official. We just ask that you continue to share your new husband with us...because we’ll definitely miss him if he leaves us.” 

“I’m good as long as he’s home by dinner!” Regina called back with a laugh which made everyone else laugh. After finishing his speech, Little John went to set the microphone down but it was intercepted by Henry. 

“I know that normally only the maid of honor and the best man get to make speeches, but I was the best man up until this morning so I figured I could still make a speech,” Henry began. “First off, I just want to say congratulations to my Mom and Robin. This wedding has been a long time coming and I’m happy that it’s finally happening. Robin, I wanted to thank you for always being there to give me advice and listening to me when I need to talk. It has been really nice having a man in my life that I can go to. I also wanted to thank you for how much you make my mom happy. The two of us started a mission called Operation Mongoose a while ago...I know that the name doesn’t really make any sense but the mission was to find my mom’s happily ever after and today I can definitely say that our mission is complete. She’s the happiest that I’ve ever seen her. I know that you’ll always be there for her even when I can’t be,” Henry said before turning to his mother. “Mom, I just want to say how glad I am to see you happy. You have worked so hard to change for the better and I know that Robin sees you the way that I see you...as the person you truly are. You’re the kindest, most caring and dedicated mother that a kid could ever ask for. I think Roland and Addy can definitely agree. Mom, I love you so much and I can’t wait to see all the happiness that a marriage to your true love brings you. Now, I know that everyone is starving, including me, so I’ll be quiet now. I just want to say cheers to the bride and groom.” 

“Cheers!” Everyone chorused as they clinked glasses and took sips of their champagne.  From that point, everyone ate dinner and then the real party began. The dance floor was packed as music blared and everyone was laughing and smiling at one another. 

Later, it was time for the cake cutting. The cake was beautiful. It was a four tiered cake with holly flowers and decorations that looked like branches going around the cake. On the top was a white chocolate piece that showed two doves with a heart in the middle. Together, Regina and Robin sliced into the cake and pulled out a piece. Each one took a piece of the cake and set up to feed it to one another. Robin was careful, not wanting to mess up Regina’s dress make-up or dress. Regina, on the other hand, had other ideas. She smashed her piece against Robin’s face, leaving icing all over him. For a moment, Robin was shocked at his wife’s actions but then a smirk appear on his face. In retaliation, Robin grabbed a second bite of cake and shoved it into his wife’s face. They both laughed before pressing a kiss to one another’s icing covered lips. From there, the night continued until it finally grew dark and it was time to head home. 

“Alright Addy, give Mama a kiss and say see you tomorrow,” Snow prompted as she walked over to Regina with the sleepy little girl in her arms. It had been such a long day and Addy hadn’t taken her nap, so she was absolutely exhausted. 

“Goodnight baby girl, have sweet dreams. Mommy and Daddy will pick you up from Auntie Snow’s in the morning,” Regina cooed as she pressed a kiss to her daughter’s forehead. Snow and David had graciously agreed to take the kids for the night so that Regina and Robin could have some alone time on their wedding. “And you,” she began, walking over to Roland. “Please be a good boy and listen to Snow and David, okay?” 

“I will Mama,” Roland replied before hugging her. She pressed a kiss to his forehead and hugged him tightly. 

“I will see you in the morning,” she told him. 

“Have a good night, Mom,” Henry said chiming in as he embraced his mother. “I love you.” 

“I love you too, Henry,” She replied. 

“Alright, my love, I think this is where we leave,” Robin said as he extended his hand to his new wife. She graciously took it and followed him to where all of the guests had lined up with sparklers to see them off. They ran through the tunnel of cheering people, both smiling ear to ear. They ran to Regina’s Mercedes which was waiting for the two of them to drive off in. Someone had written “Just Married” on the back. Robin opened the passenger door for Regina and helped her inside, making sure that her dress wouldn’t get caught on anything, before going around and getting into the driver’s side. 

“I can’t believe we did it,” Regina said, grinning ear to ear. “We’re married!” 

“Yes we are, my love,” Robin replied. “And I couldn’t be happier.” Robin drove home to the mayoral mansion and parked in the driveway. When the car was stopped, Regina began to try and get out of the car when Robin stopped her. “No, no, hold on!” He exclaimed, running over to her side of the door. 

“What?” she questioned. 

“I have to carry my new wife over the threshold. It’s tradition.” 

“We’ve been living in this house together for over a year,” Regina retorted. “I think we’ve broken tradition a bit.” 

“Just let me have this,” Robin begged, looking back at her with crystal blue puppy dog eyes. 

“Fine,” she replied, a smirk on her face. Robin didn’t waste any time. He reached down and scooped Regina into his arms. She giggled and pressed her face into his strong chest. With Regina’s help, they got the front door open and Robin walked inside, still carrying his new wife. “Okay Robin, you can put me down, now,” she told him. 

“Oh, I’m not stopping here,” Robin told her. “I am taking you to bed, Mrs. Locksley,” he added as he practically sprinted up the stairs. Once in the bedroom, Robin plopped Regina down on their bed before began kissing her neck. 

“I love you so much, Regina,” he said in between kisses. 

“I love you too,” she replied. 

“Was today everything that you wanted it to be?” He asked. 

“Everything and more…” She replied before pulling him in for a kiss on the lips... A kiss that would most definitely be the first of many for this happy night. 


	20. Negative

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regina and Robin are trying for a baby and it isn't going well. So Regina makes a deal that will change the rest of their lives.

Regina felt as though her heart was racing. She stared down at the blue and white pregnancy test on the counter and let out a nervous sigh. It was taking everything in her not to pick it up right away. However, this was not her first time taking a pregnancy test and she knew she had to wait the three minutes before checking. Robin stood behind her with a supportive hand on her back. “Waiting is agony,” Regina groaned. “I just want to know.” 

“Just a few more seconds, love,” Robin replied, trying to keep his wife calm. They stood together in silence for another minute before the timer on Regina’s cell phone went off. They both took a deep breath and Regina picked up the pregnancy test. She turned it over and instantly her face fell. 

“It’s negative...I’m not pregnant.” 

“Love, I’m sorry,” Robin replied as he pulled his wife into a hug. Regina hid her face in Robin’s chest and could feel the tears spring to her eyes. She didn’t know how many more times she’d be able to look at that negative sign. She and Robin had started trying to get pregnant a few months before the wedding, but they weren’t having any luck. Regina had wanted to believe Robin’s theory about their true love reversing her infertility potion so badly, but she was starting to lose all hope. 

“I don’t know how many more of these tests I can take if they’re going to all come back negative,” Regina cried as she broke from Robin’s arms. 

“We just have to keep trying,” Robin tried. “It takes time to get pregnant,” he added before wiping the tears off her cheeks. 

“We just go through this every month...and nothing! I want to believe that our true love was enough to reverse my infertility potion, but I don’t think it was. I-I’m sorry. I never should have taken t-that potion,”  Regina sobbed. “T-this is all my fault.” 

“Sweetheart, we don’t know that for sure,” Robin told her. “Come here,” he added before pulling his sobbing wife into a hug. “You have to have hope. It takes some couples years to get pregnant. We’ve only been trying for about four months.” 

“I-It’s just so h-hard…” 

“I know it is, love,” Robin replied softly. “I know that this is frustrating for you. It is for me too. All I want is to be able to give you this, but I think we both just need to be patient,” He pressed a kiss to her forehead and held her tightly, allowing her time to cry against him. It hurt him so much to see Regina like this. His wife was normally such a strong woman, who guarded her emotions, but he could see that this struggle with her infertility was really starting to weigh on her.  When Regina’s sobs had quieted, Robin allowed her to break free from his hug. “Are you going to be alright?” he asked, handing her a tissue. 

“I’ll be fine. I’m sad...but I’ll be alright.” 

“We don’t have to go over to the Charming’s if you’re not up to it,” He told her. “We could just stay here with the kids.”   
“It’s Thanksgiving. I don’t want to do that to them. They should be with family,” Regina replied. “I just need a minute to compose myself. I promise, I’ll be okay. Can you go and get Addy dressed? I laid out a dress and headband on her dresser for her.” 

“Of course, honey,” Robin replied. “Just call me if you need anything okay.” Regina nodded her head and watched as Robin left the room. Taking a deep breath, she looked in the mirror and groaned. She knew doing her make-up before taking that stupid test was a bad idea. She had mascara running down her cheeks and her eyes looked red and puffy from crying. Regina turned on the warm water in the sink and wet a washcloth before washing her face. It was just easier to start fresh. She reapplied all of her make-up and then headed downstairs to the kitchen.  She had her special apple pie in the oven and didn’t want it to burn. She opened the oven and peeked inside. The pie looked perfect. After slipping on a pair of oven mitts, she pulled the pie out of the oven and set it on the top of the stove to cool. 

“That pie smells so good, Mom!” Henry exclaimed as he came into the kitchen. “I can barely wait to eat it!” he added as he walked closer to the cooling pie. 

“Well, you’re going to have to,” Regina replied with a laugh. “It’s for dessert today. God knows your other mother can’t bake to save her life and Snow’s baking skills are minimal at best.” 

“Mom can kind of bake,” Henry retorted. 

“Box cake mixes don’t really count as baking.” 

“Well, they’re better than nothing.” 

“Have you seen your brother? Is he ready to go?” Regina asked, trying to change the subject 

“I think so,” Henry replied, not bothering to look up at his mother and instead decided to stare down at his phone. 

“Well...can you go get him?” 

“Fine,” Henry groaned before stomping upstairs to retrieve his younger brother. In the meantime, Robin walked downstairs, carrying Addy in his arms. 

“Oh, look how cute you look!” Regina exclaimed. She had found this thanksgiving dress online and knew that she had to buy it for Addy. The top of the dress was brown and the bottom was orange with polka dots. In the center was a cute, googley eyed turkey. Regina had also found an adorable orange bow to go in her daughter’s hair. 

“She’s been asking for Mama since she woke up, so here you go,” Robin replied as he handed the toddler over to Regina. “Where are the boys?”

“Henry just went upstairs to get Roland,” Regina replied. “Once they come down, we can head over to Snow’s.” 

“Are you alright now?” Robin asked. He knew Regina was putting on a brave face but she had to still be hurting. 

“I’m fine,” Regina replied immediately. “Can you grab the pie off the stove? I’m going to go put Addy in her carseat. You and the boys can meet us out there.” Without another word, Regina disappeared with Addy and Robin let out a sigh. When the boys came downstairs, the three of them joined the girls in the car and headed over to Snow’s. 

“Happy Thanksgiving!” Snow exclaimed when she opened up the front door to their loft. Instantly, the heavenly smell of turkey roasting in the oven wafted out into the hallway. “Come on in!” The family of five wandered inside and hugs were exchanged between everyone. “Dinner is almost ready so feel free to grab some salad and some drinks,” Snow announced. David and Robin placed Addy and Neal into their high chairs and Henry and Roland both grabbed chairs. Regina made her way over to the wine. She was definitely going to need some wine if she was going to make it through the day. She poured herself a glass and turned to Emma, who was standing next to her tossing the salad. “Want a glass?” she asked. 

“No, I’m good,” Emma replied. Regina gave the blonde a confused look. 

“You’re turning down alcohol?” 

“I just don’t feel like drinking right now. I-uhh- I’ll probably have some later,” Emma told her. “Ask Hook if he wants any. I’m sure he will.” 

“Alright…” Regina replied. She finished getting everyone who wanted some a glass of wine and set them out on the table just as Snow was ready to set the turkey on the table. Seeing that everything was ready, everyone sat down at the table, ready to enjoy a nice Thanksgiving dinner 

“I’d like to propose a toast,” David began. “Thanksgiving is all about gratitude and I know that Snow and I are both so grateful to have everyone here with us today. So cheers to friends and family. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!” 

“Cheers!” Everyone exclaimed as they began to clink glasses. Everyone seemed to notice that Emma was not holding a champagne glass like the rest of the adults and there was an awkward silence at the table. Emma kept looking over at Hook. 

“You might as well tell them, love,” he whispered

“Okay,” Emma replied as she took a deep breath. “Hook and I actually have an announcement that we’d like to make. We’re both extra grateful this Thanksgiving because...we’re adding to our family. I-I’m pregnant.” 

“Oh my God! Emma!” Snow exclaimed as she practically launched herself at her daughter. 

“I know this is a surprise and it definitely wasn’t planned, but we’re very happy about it,” Emma confessed. “I’m about eight weeks.” 

“Congratulations, Mom!” Henry exclaimed. Robin noticed that Regina was silent and trying not to make eye contact with anyone. While everyone was buzzing with the excitement of a new baby in the family and digging into Thanksgiving dinner,  Regina slipped away to the bathroom. She shut the door and made sure to lock it before bracing herself against the sink. Her eyes filled with tears, but she tried to choke them back. Regina felt terrible. She knew that she should be happy for Emma, but she was so jealous. It felt like a slap in the face from fate that Emma, who wasn’t even trying to get pregnant, was able to conceive and she wasn’t. It wasn’t fair. It just wasn’t fair. 

“Regina?” She heard, accompanied by a knock on the door. Regina recognized Snow’s voice instantly. “Can I come in?” she asked. 

“J-just a second,” Regina replied. She frantically wiped her tears and prayed that she didn’t look too terrible. She unlocked the bathroom door and opened it to reveal a concerned-looking Snow. 

“Are you okay?” 

“I’m fine,” Regina lied. 

“Regina, I’ve known you long enough to know when you’re lying. I watched your face when Emma announced she was pregnant. You didn’t seem happy,” Snow replied. “A-are you and Robin trying to have a baby of your own?” Regina’s nodded her head and her lower lip began to quiver before she broke down. 

“I-I’m sorry. It just hit me,” Regina replied. “I’m happy for Emma...I really am. I just wish that it would happen for me too.” 

“How long have you and Robin been trying?” 

“About four months which I know isn’t that long...but Snow, I don’t think it’s gonna happen and I don’t know how to make Robin see that. He’s so hopeful,” She cried. 

“What are you talking about?” Snow replied. “Why wouldn’t it happen for you?” 

“I-I took a potion when I was younger,” Regina explained. “It was an infertility potion. I thought my mother was going to use my child to take away my power. I wasn’t thinking. All I had back then was power and I didn’t want to lose it. As soon as I took that potion, I knew it was a mistake. Robin tried to convince me that it could be cured by true love but it’s been four months. We keep trying and trying and every test comes back negative. Clearly, true love didn’t fix it. I’m not going to be able to have a baby...I just know it.” Snow pulled Regina into her arms and let her cry. 

“I don’t want you to give up hope just yet…” Snow began. 

“I’m not in the mood for a hope speech…”

“Just listen. I drank an infertility potion once too,” Snow told her. 

“But how? You have Emma and Neal.” 

“King George tricked me into drinking it,” Snow explained. “David’s mother gave up her life so that I could drink some of the water from Lake Nostos and it reversed the potion.” 

“That doesn’t help me. That lake dried up years ago and it’s in the Enchanted Forest.” 

“There could still be some water left…” Snow told her. “I saw a vial in Rumple’s shop a while ago when I was helping Belle clean. It said Nostos on it.” 

“What makes you think Rumple will just give it to me? You know that man doesn’t give anything away for free?” 

“I think we’ll just have to take the chance. How badly do you want to have a baby?” Snow asked. Regina bit her lip nervously and let out a deep breath. 

“I want a baby...but we can’t tell Robin about this. I don’t want to get his hopes up even higher,” Regina replied. 

“My lips are sealed. This will be our secret,” Snow replied as she pulled Regina in for one last hug. Regina hugged her stepdaughter back and let out a deep breath. She knew that Snow didn’t have the best track record with keeping secrets, so she could only hope that she was able to keep her promise this time. 

Later on in the week, Snow and Regina made their way to Rumple’s shop. “Snow, Regina, what can I do for you?” 

“We want to make a deal,” Snow said.

“Well dearie, you know I can never pass up a good deal.” 

“Do you still have that vial of water from Lake Nostos?” Rumple didn’t answer. He simply walked to the back of his shop and returned with the vial in his hand and laid it on the counter in front of him. “What do you want for it?” Snow asked. 

“That’s something I’ll only discuss with the person who really wants it.” Rumple began. “Regina...you’ve been pretty quiet since you’ve walked in here.” Regina looked over at Snow nervously. 

“Snow, can you give us a moment?” 

“Regina...are you sure?” Snow asked. Regina nodded her head. “Okay...I’ll be right outside if you need me,” she added before leaving the shop. 

“So dearie, are you going to tell me why you need this water so badly?” 

“I made a mistake in the past and I want to try and fix it,” Regina told him. 

“This…” Rumple began as he held up the vial. “…is incredibly powerful stuff. However, there are no guarantees that it will fix your barren womb.” 

“How did you-?” 

“You’ve always been quite skilled with potions. That was one area that you actually excelled in,” Rumple told her. “You did quite a number on yourself with that infertility potion. Even now, years later, I can still feel some residual magic from that potion.” 

“But it could work?” she asked. 

“It could. It won’t be an easy process,” Rumple replied.  “All magic does come with a price.” 

“What do you want for it? I’ve been through pain before and I can handle it.” 

“Right now, dearie…I can’t think of anything thatI’d want from you. We could just agree that you owe me,” Rumple told her. Regina wasn’t so sure about this. She had known Rumple for a long time and being in his debt was never a good thing. However, this was her only option if she wanted to have a baby with Robin. 

“Fine. Deal.” She agreed. Rumple gave her a smirk and handed the vial over. 

“I’ll let you know when I’d like to collect payment for your debt. In all honesty,  I do hope that this does work for you,” Rumple replied. “When you drink it, I would make sure that someone is with you.” 

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Regina replied before walking out of the shop. 

“Did you get it?” Snow asked. Regina took the vial out of her pocket and showed it to Snow. “What did you give him?”   
“Nothing for now...I don’t know if that was the right decision but this may be my only shot,” Regina replied. “Thank you for telling me about this though. It’s been a long time since I’ve felt...this hopeful.” 

“I want this for you so much, Regina. You’re already a great mother so any baby would be lucky to have you,” Snow told her. 

“I have one more favor to ask. Can you be with me when I drink it?” Regina asked. “Rumple said that it won’t be a pleasant process.” 

“Of course I will,” Snow told her. “But when I drank the water, I didn’t even know I had drunk it. I didn’t have any pain.” 

“I think it has to do with my specific potion,” Regina replied. “I made it very, very strong. Yours may have not been as strong.” 

“When do you want to do it?” 

“As soon as possible,” Regina told her. After that, the two of them set a plan in motion. They both told David and Robin that they were having a girls' weekend and would be gone overnight. They decided that Zelena’s old farmhouse would be a good place to take the potion.  It was away from everyone and it was a place where Regina and Snow could be alone.They didn’t know what the potion was going to do to Regina, but they both knew Regina wouldn’t want to look weak in front of anyone else. 

“Are you ready?” Snow asked. 

“I think so,” Regina said as she let out a nervous breath. “I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I think it’s going to be bad.” 

“I’m here for you, no matter what.” 

“Okay, here goes nothing,” Regina replied. She popped the top off of the vial and then drank the water like a shot. For a moment, things seemed okay. Regina didn’t look in pain. She looked exactly the same. 

“Did it not work?” Snow asked. 

“I don’t know. Rumple said it would hurt.” Regina replied. “I don’t feel-” Suddenly, Regina felt a sharp pain in her lower abdomen that was strong enough to double her over. “Ohh God…” Regina groaned as she clutched her stomach. 

“Come on, let’s lay you down,” Snow said. She slipped an arm around Regina’s waist and helped her walk over to the bed. Regina curled into a ball and breathed heavily through the pain. “Regina, what can I do?” 

“N-nothing, It’s fine,” She said before letting out another loud groan. Snow felt helpless. There was nothing that she could do to relieve Regina’s pain. As the night went on, Regina’s pain only got worse. She also spiked a fever and started throwing up. It was as if the potion was trying to get out of Regina’s body any way possible. Snow was by her side the entire time. She placed cold cloths on her forehead and held the trashcan when Regina needed to be sick. 

“Snow, I-I can’t do this anymore. It hurts,” Regina cried. 

“I know,” Snow replied softly. “Just think about your future baby. You’re doing this for that baby.” 

“W-what if it doesn’t work?” 

“You just have to have hope,” Snow told her. Regina nodded and groaned once more as another pang of pain hit her. “Just try and rest. You’ll be okay.” The rest of the night was anything but restful but when the sun rose, Regina was feeling a bit better. The agonizing pain in her abdomen had subsided and she wasn’t nauseous anymore. Her fever had also broken. Now, all that Regina wanted to do was go home and sleep and Snow was pretty much in agreement with her. 

“Are you sure you’ll be okay?” Snow asked as she pulled into the driveway at the Mayoral mansion. 

“I think I’m better now,” Regina replied. “Just tired,” 

“Okay, well, call me if you need anything,” Snow replied. 

“I will and Snow, thank you so much for last night.” 

“We’re family,” Snow told her. “Taking care of one another is what family does. And I hope that last night was worth it.” 

“Me too,” Regina replied with a sigh. She got out of the car and made it to the front door. She opened it and went inside. She prayed that everyone was still sleeping and that she could just slip into bed for a few hours. However, as soon as she opened the door, Regina could see that was not the case. Robin was sitting at the kitchen table, nursing a cup of coffee. 

“Morning love, you’re home early. I would have thought you and Snow would have slept in a little more,” Robin said as he greeted her. As he walked closer, Robin gave her a skeptical look. “You look a little pale. Are you alright?” 

“I’m fine,” Regina lied. “I picked up a case of food poisoning last night so girl’s night was a bit of a bust.” 

“Oh, how are you feeling now?” 

“I’m better. Just tired,” Regina replied. “It was a long night.” 

“Why don’t you go upstairs and rest then. I’ll take care of the kids,” Robin told her as he pressed a kiss to her forehead. Regina just gave him a nod before sleepily lumbering upstairs and climbing into bed. As she nestled under the covers, she prayed that last night would be worth it. 

After a few weeks, Regina was feeling much better. She and Robin continued to try for a baby. Finally, it came time for Regina to take another pregnancy test. This time, she did it by herself. This was the moment of truth that would let her know if drinking that water and putting herself in debt with Rumple was worth it. She chugged a bottle of water and soon after, Regina felt the need to relieve herself. She went to the bathroom and peed on the pregnancy test before setting it on the counter.

After three minutes, Regina picked the test up with shaking hands and turned it over. Negative…the test was negative. The potion hadn’t worked. This was it. There was no chance of her ever conceiving a baby. She didn’t want to but she had to tell Robin. She wiped the tears from her eyes and tried to compose herself before she went to the top of the stairs and called for Robin. 

“I’ll be right there,” Robin called. Regina’s heart continued to pound as she heard Robin’s footsteps coming upstairs.  “Regina? Love… what’s going on?” 

“Sit down. We need to talk,” She told him. 

“Regina, you’re scaring me…” Regina reached out and grabbed her husband’s hand. 

“Robin, I-I think we’re done trying,” She told him, sniffling slightly as she held back tears. 

“Did you take another test?” Robin asked. “Love, it’s still early. We can keep trying.” 

“No, we can’t…” Regina said, letting out a deep breath. “Do you remember when Snow and I had a girl’s night?” Robin nodded. “I was really trying to reverse my infertility potion, but it didn’t work. So, we’re done. It’s not gonna happen,” she cried. Robin sighed and took his wife into his arms. Though he was upset as well he was trying to stay strong for Regina.

“So, I want to ask you something,” He began. “Was this about you getting pregnant or was this about you feeling like someone was missing from our family?” Regina paused for a second. She hadn’t really given that much thought. She really did want to be pregnant but ultimately, she just wanted to be a mother to another child. She hadn’t given birth to any of her other children but that didn’t make her love them any less. 

“I-I think someone’s missing.” 

“So....we adopt,” Robin told her. “If you think someone is missing, then we better go find them.” 

“You mean it?” 

“Of course, I do,” Robin told her. “I love you.”   
“I love you too,” Regina replied before hugging Robin. Though she was still disappointed, she was hopeful that they’d be able to find a child to be a part of their family. 


	21. New Beginnings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regina and Robin go in search of a new member for their family, but it doesn't end how they anticipated it to.

Looking for a new child to join their family was nothing like Regina expected it to be. When she had adopted Henry, Rumplestiltskin had arranged the whole thing. She didn’t have to go to a group home and look for a child. He was just there waiting for her when she arrived at the adoption agency in Boston. Now, she and Robin were standing in a group home surrounded by dozens of children who were all running around. It was a bit overwhelming. 

“I’m sorry you had to come during outdoor playtime,” Jennifer, the woman who ran the group home, said. “They’re all lovely children, but they get a bit crazy during playtime.” 

“It’s alright,” Regina replied. “It’s just...a lot,” she answered honestly. “When I adopted my son, Henry, it was a closed adoption and I never had to go to a group home. He was just waiting for me at the adoption agency. There are so many children here. It’s hard to know where to start.”

“I can understand how this can be overwhelming for the both of you,” Jennifer replied. “I think I can make the process a little easier for you. You both stated that you were interested in adopting an infant, correct?” 

“Yes,” Regina and Robin both replied. 

“We are very serious about adopting a baby,” Regina added. 

“Well, then, we can head over here. All of our babies are over here having some tummy time and enjoying the shade,” Jennifer said. She led them over to a white quilt that was laid out under the shade of a large oak tree. There on the blanket were three babies playing with some toys. “This is Jade, Charlotte, and Alexander. They all between two and four months old. Would you like to meet any of them?” 

“It doesn’t matter to me,” Robin began. “What do you think, love?” Regina looked down at the three babies before her. They were all very cute. Alexander reminded her a lot of Henry when he was an infant. He had the same dark hair and eyes. Though she thought he was adorable, Regina wasn’t looking to replace Henry so she looked to the next baby. Charlotte was also adorable but once again there was nothing in her heart pulling her towards the little girl. Last but not least was Jade. She was a beautiful little girl with gorgeous green eyes and huge dimples. When Regina made eye contact with the little girl, she looked back and smiled, which warmed her heart. 

“Can I hold Jade?” Regina asked. 

“Of course!” Jennifer told her. She bent down and picked the little girl up into her arms before handing her over to Regina. Jade nestled her head into Regina’s chest and let out a few little gurgles of happiness. 

“Aren’t you a sweetheart,” Regina cooed at the baby. It had been a while since she held a baby this little in her arms. It seemed like ages ago that Addy had been this little. 

“I’m going to give the two of you a little time with little Miss Jade and I’ll come back,” Jennifer told them, not wanting to place any pressure on the couple. 

“What do you think?” Robin asked. “Do you think she’d fit with our family?” 

“She’s a gorgeous, little girl,” Regina replied. “...and she’s very sweet.” 

“But, are you having that moment that you described?” Robin asked. Regina thought about it for a moment. She and Robin had talked in detail about Henry’s adoption and how the process had gone. As soon as Henry had been brought to her, she just knew. She took one look at him and he was hers. Looking down at Jade, Regina didn’t feel anything like that feeling. She was an adorable little girl but she didn’t feel like Jade was the one who was supposed to join their family. None of the babies at the group home felt right to her, but she didn’t know how to tell Robin. They already had so few options when it came to expanding their family.  Regina didn’t want to lose anymore. She looked back at Robin and was about to speak when yelling caught her attention. 

“Give it back!” A young girl yelled from across the yard. Two older boys were surrounding her and holding a book high above her head. 

“What are you going to do if we don’t, freak?” One of the boys taunted back. Both boys began to walk closer to the girl, backing her up against a tree. 

“Stop! Just leave me alone!” the girl screamed. Regina watched as she held up her hands in defense and couldn’t believe it when two bursts of magic shot out from the girl's hands and knocked the boys backward onto the ground. The young girl was breathing heavily and staring at her hands in shock. 

“Scarlett!” Jennifer, the owner, said sternly as she approached the young girl. “How many times have I told you not to use your magic on the other children?”

“But they-” 

“No excuses, do not make me tell you again?” Jennifer retorted. The little girl’s lower lip began to quiver and tears ran down her cheeks before she ran off. Regina’s heart broke as she watched the little girl runoff. Jennifer hadn’t seen the whole incident, but Regina did and nothing about it was that little girl’s fault. The boys had been the ones threatening her and she didn’t even use her magic on purpose. Magic was tied to a person’s emotions and Regina knew that being scared messed with a person’s magic, especially if they have poor control of it to begin with. 

“Robin, can you hold the baby?” Regina asked. “I’m just going to run to the bathroom.” 

“Absolutely,” Robin replied. “Come here, little one,” he cooed as he took the baby into his arms. Regina made her way across the yard and instead of going to the bathroom, she went to find that little girl. She looked around the yard and behind one of the trees, she saw a small pair of feet. Regina walked over and found the young girl sitting on the ground with her knees pulled up to her chest, tears streaming down her cheeks. 

“Hi…” Regina said tentatively. “Are you okay?” 

“I-I’m fine.” the little girl cried as she frantically wiped her tears. 

“Do you mind if I sit down?” Regina asked. The little girl shrugged her shoulders, but Regina sat down anyway. “So, I have three kids of my own at home and I think I can tell when a child isn’t okay. And sweetheart, you look very upset. Do you want to tell me what’s making you so upset?” 

“I got yelled at…but I didn’t do anything wrong...not on purpose anyway,” 

“I saw what happened to you,” Regina began. 

“You did?” The little girl asked, her eyes growing wide. 

“I did. I saw how those boys cornered you,” Regina told her. “Can I show you something?” The girl nodded her head. Regina turned her hand over and formed a fireball in the palm of her hand. 

“You have magic...” 

“I do,” Regina replied. “And I don’t want you to ever be ashamed for having it either. What you have is a gift, but you have to learn to control it,” she explained. “I know that we don’t know each other, but I can tell that you’re a very special little girl. Don’t let anyone make you doubt yourself or feel that you are bad in any way for having magic. Do you understand?” The girl nodded her head. “Can I ask what your name is?”  

“It’s Scarlett.” 

“Nice to meet you, Scarlett. I’m Regina.” They both sat in silence for a little bit until Scarlett’s tears had dried up. “Are you alright now?”

“Yes...I’m okay. Thank you for talking to me.” 

“No problem,” Regina told her. “I hope that you have a better rest of your day...and Scarlett, just remember what I said. Don’t let anyone make you feel bad for just being you.” 

“I’ll remember that… thank you.” Regina gave the girl one last smile before walking back over to where Robin was standing with Jennifer and the babies. 

“Sorry I was gone for a little,” Regina apologized. 

“It’s no problem,” Robin told her. “I was just getting to know this little one,” he added, motioning to Jade. “She’s pretty adorable.” 

“Yeah, she is,” Regina agreed half-heartedly. 

“So, have you two made a connection with this little one? Do you think she may be right for your family?” Jennifer asked. 

“I-I think that I just need a night to think...if that okay with you, Robin,” Regina replied. 

“Absolutely, love,” Robin told her.

“Sure, there is no rush,” Jennifer explained. “Adoption isn’t a quick process, so, by all means, take your time. I can take this little one…” She added motioning to Jade. Robin nodded his head and handed the baby over. “Feel free to call anytime that you’re both ready. If you think that you’ve found a connection, we’ll start the adoption process or if you feel like you need to come back and just be with the kids again, that is completely okay too.” 

“Thank you for everything, Jennifer.” 

“Of course,” Jennifer replied. “I hope to see you guys sometime soon.” After that, Regina and Robin left the group home and headed to their car. They climbed inside and started the short ride home. The drive was quiet. Robin watched his wife stare longingly out the window and he could feel that something was wrong. He knew that he needed to talk to Regina and get her to open up about where she was at. When they got home, they were greeted by all three of their children and Ruby who had agreed to babysit.

“Mama!” Addy squealed as she ran into Regina’s arms. 

“There’s my baby!” Regina said as she picked up her daughter and pressed a kiss to her forehead. 

“Where go, Mama?” 

“I went out with Papa.” She told the little girl. “Did you have fun with Ruby?” Addy nodded her head. “Good, I’m glad. What do you say we go get some dinner ready?” Regina asked her. “Ruby, thank you so much for watching them.” 

“No problem, any time,” Ruby replied as she took the money from Robin and made her way out of the door. The rest of the night felt like a blur. Regina and Addy made pasta for dinner and the family sat down to eat together. Roland yammered on and on about his day with Ruby and Henry talked about how his application process for college was going. After dinner, Regina and Robin put the kids to sleep and then settled into bed themselves.

“You’ve been pretty quiet since we got home…” Robin began as she looked over at his wife who was lying silently next to him. “Penny for your thoughts.” 

“I’ve just been thinking…” 

“About Jade? She is a beautiful little girl. I think Addy would love being a big sister,” Robin said. 

“I-uhh I’m sure that she would, but…I wasn’t thinking about Jade,” Regina replied honestly. 

“Oh...were you thinking about Charlotte or Alexander then? I know we didn’t really interact with them much, but they were cute.” 

“I wasn’t thinking about them either.” Regina took a deep breath. “Did you see the little girl that was being bullied by those two older boys?”

“I think I did see a bit of  that encounter.” 

“Well...when I left and told you that I was going to the bathroom, I actually went and found her,” Regina told him. “Robin, I can’t explain it...but I just had this feeling when I looked at her. When she blasted those boys with her magic.... I just saw her look down at her own hands in fear. I know what it’s like to feel out of control and not know what to do. Then, when Jennifer yelled at her and made her feel like she was the bad one...It just broke my heart. I grew up with a mother who made me feel like everything I did wasn’t good enough...that I wasn’t good enough and I saw myself in her. I really feel like I could help her...and that she needs us. I know that we talked about a baby but…” 

“But you didn’t feel it with any of the babies,” Robin interjected. “You had your moment. What’s her name?” 

“Scarlett. Her name is Scarlett,” Regina told him with a smile. 

“Well, I would love to meet her,” Robin replied. “I don’t know if I can promise adoption right now, but I think that fostering her and seeing if she fits into our family would definitely be something that I’m interested in.” 

“Really?” Regina asked. “Because I know that this is not what we talked about…” 

“Love, if I have learned anything, it is that you can’t plan family,” Robin told her. “I never would have guessed that after Marian, I’d find love with you and gain Henry as a son. Also, Addy’s birth was less than...ideal, but I love her more than anything now. I believe in fate and maybe it was fate that you met Scarlett today.” 

“I love you so much, “Regina replied as she scooted herself into Robin’s embrace. “You have been so supportive during this entire journey and I can’t thank you enough. I can’t wait to start this next chapter with you,” 

“Neither can I love,” Robin agreed as he pulled Regina closer to him and the two of them drifted off to sleep, cuddled in one another’s embrace. 


	22. Just a Little Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Scarlett comes to live with the Locksley-Mills family and it's a big adjustment period for everyone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I hope that you're enjoying the story so far! I know that this originally started out as a prompt/drabble series, but I have an idea for a longer multi-chapter story direction. So instead of prompts, this story will be more of an actual story. With that said, please be patient if I am not super consistent with posting. I am trying to figure out the direction of the story and I am also working full time as a nurse which has some long hours. Regardless, I hope that you all enjoy and are ready for the rest of this story to come! Thanks for the support! Feel free to leave a review and ask any questions that you all might have! - Klainelover1997

“What time did Jennifer say she was coming?” Regina asked nervously as she glanced at the clock. 

“Around two,” Robin replied. “And before you ask, it’s 1:50...only about five minutes since you asked the last time.”

“I’m just nervous,” she admitted. “Winning over a baby is one thing. You just have to feed them, change them and make sure they sleep. But, she’s twelve. We have no idea what she’s been through or how she’s going to feel when she gets here.” 

“That is true,” Robin conceded. “But we’ll take it in stride.” 

“How are you always so calm about everything?” 

“Well, one of us has to be,” Robin joked and Regina shot him a dirty look. “I’m kidding, love.” Seeing that Regina still looked nervous, Robin called over to Addy who was playing on the floor in the living room. “Addy, come give Mama a hug.” The little girl stood up and toddled over to her mother. Regina smiled down at her daughter and picked her up. “Tell Mama it’s going to be alright,” Robin prompted. 

“Alright, Mama,” Addy babbled. 

“Thank you, sweetpea,” Regina replied as she pressed a kiss to the little girl’s forehead. Suddenly, they heard a knock on the front door. Regina handed Addy over to Robin and made her way towards the front door. Robin followed close behind with Addy in his arms. When Regina opened the door, Jennifer was standing on the front step with Scarlett standing shyly behind her. “Hi, come in!” 

“It’s so nice to see you both again,” Jennifer replied. “Scarlett, do you remember Regina?” The little girl looked up nervously and nodded. 

“We’re so happy to have you here, Scarlett,” Regina said. “This is my husband, Robin and our daughter, Addy.” 

“Hi…” she replied quietly with a small wave. 

“We have a room for you all ready,” Robin interjected. “Would you like to see it?” Scarlett didn’t say anything. 

“I think that would be nice,” Jennifer replied as she nudged the little girl forward. Together, they made their way upstairs to the front bedroom that used to be Henry’s. When they had told the kids about fostering Scarlett, they knew they would have to make some adjustments to their room assignments. Regina was worried about what Henry would think about giving up his bedroom, but he was all for it. Regina had promised him that they’d fix up the attic and the teen was excited about having a whole floor to himself. No one, especially Regina, wanted to admit that Henry wouldn’t really need a room for too much longer. He’d be heading off to college in just a few months and be out on his own. After getting the go ahead from Henry, Regina and Robin had spent a weekend redoing the bedroom and making it fit for a young girl. The walls were painted lavender and Regina had found a purple bedspread to match. They had also purchased a desk and a comfy chair to place in the corner of the room. 

“We hope that this is alright. We can always go out and shop for any clothes or school supplies that you need,” Regina said to Scarlett. 

“There’s only one bed…how many other kids stay in this room?” she asked quietly. 

“This room is just for you,” Robin interjected. “We have three other children but they have their own rooms as well. Addy is just down the hallway. Roland, who is our seven year old son, is next to her room. And then, Henry is eighteen and he has his room in the attic. But, this room is just for you.” 

“Oh…” the little girl replied, looking a bit in shock. There was an awkward silence in the room as Scarlett looked around and analyzed the room. 

“Scarlett, why don’t you take a few moments and get settled and unpacked. I’m going to go and talk with Regina and Robin,” Jennifer said. “We’ll be right downstairs.” The three adults and Addy made their way out of the room, leaving Scarlett by herself.Once everyone had left, she set her backpack down on the bed and ran her hand against the soft fabric of the comforter. She couldn’t remember the last time that she had a room to herself. She looked down at her backpack, the only thing that she really owned, and unzipped it. Inside were two pairs of jeans, four shirts, a few pairs of underwear and a bra. She walked over to the dresser and opened up the large drawers. She placed the clothing in the top drawer but it still looked so empty inside. She bit her lip nervously before grabbing all the clothing out of the top drawer and shoving it back in her backpack. It would be easier that way...in case she needed to leave in a hurry for any reason. This wouldn’t be permanent for her. Scarlett was sure that she’d end up right back at the group home in a few weeks. No one ever wanted her, that was abundantly clear to the little girl. 

Downstairs, Jennifer and Regina and Robin were going over some paperwork. “Alright, I just need the two of you to sign these few papers,” Jennifer said as she passed the papers to them. 

“Is she always that shy?” Robin asked. 

“For the most part, yes,” Jennifer replied honestly. “She’s always kind of stuck to herself.  Back in Camelot, I found her on the streets going through the trash looking for food. I asked about her parents but she would never talk about them. I took her in after that. There have been some incidents…”   
“What kind of incidents?” Robin asked. 

“As you both saw when you visited, Scarlett has magic,” Jennifer explained. “A few of the children have gotten injured because of her magic.” 

“And what was happening to Scarlett when those incidents were occurring?” Regina asked, jumping in quickly. “Because from I saw, Scarlett was not in the wrong. Those boys were picking on her and magic can be unpredictable, especially in someone who doesn’t know how to control it and is scared or upset.” 

“I don’t know all the circumstances. I’m just saying that Scarlett always seemed to be fine and I was patching up other children,” Jennifer replied. “Listen, she’s a great kid otherwise. I’m just making you both aware of the problems that she has had in the past.” 

“We’ll keep them in mind but it doesn’t change our decision,” Regina replied. “Right?” She asked, looking over at Robin. 

“No, of course not,”  he agreed 

“Alright then,” the woman replied as she cleaned up her paperwork. “I’ll be checking in periodically to see how everything is going,” She added as she moved towards the front door. 

“Aren’t you going to say goodbye to Scarlett?” Regina asked. 

“We said our goodbyes before. She’ll be fine,” Jennifer replied, dismissing Regina’s concerns. “I’ll be in touch.”  With that, Jennifer left, leaving Robin and Regina alone with Scarlett. 

“She was not doing a great job of selling the idea of Scarlett staying with us,” Robin said. “I mean if I were getting someone to foster a child, I wouldn’t tell the prospective parents all the bad things that the child has done.” 

“I think she’s afraid of her magic and doesn’t know how to handle it,” Regina confessed. “I think getting Scarlett out of that group home was the best thing for her...even if she doesn’t know it yet. I should probably go and check on her.”

“Should I come too?” 

“Maybe just stay downstairs for now,” Regina told him. “I don’t want to overwhelm her. Plus, little miss needs a nap, she added, looking at the sleepy toddler in Robin’s arms. 

“Fair enough,” Robin agreed. “Let me know if she needs anything.”   
“I will,” Regina told him as she made her way upstairs. She walked to Scarlett’s new room and knocked on the door. “Hi, can I come in?” 

“Sure,” 

“Are you settling in alright?” Regina asked as she took a seat on Scarlett’s bed. Scarlett nodded. “I hope the room is okay. We didn’t know what color you liked. Do you like purple? If not we can change it,” she rambled. 

“I-I like purple…” 

“Okay, great,” Regina replied with a smile. “I know that adjusting can be difficult, but I just want you to know that we are all so excited that you’re here. Jennifer didn’t give us any of your stuff. If you want we can go and grab it later or tomorrow.” 

“I don’t have anything else. Just this,” Scarlett replied motioning to the backpack. 

“Oh…” Regina replied. “Well, we can get you some more things. We can go shopping.” 

“You really don’t have to do that,” Scarlett told her. “I don’t need anything.” 

“Sweetheart, we want to,” Regina tried to tell her. “You barely have enough clothes for a week.” 

“Why did you even want me?” Scarlett asked, her tone a bit sharper. “I heard Jennifer telling you about me. I’m a problem. I hurt people. I don’t need anyone...I’m better off on my own where I can’t hurt anyone.” 

“Oh, Scarlett…” Regina sighed. “I think there is a whole other side to the stories that Jennifer was telling. I’d like to hear your side of the story…” 

“There’s nothing to tell. I hurt those kids with my magic. You should send me back before I hurt someone here.” 

“I know what it’s like to not feel in control of your magic. I wasn’t great when I started out either. I hurt a lot of people with my magic, but it does get easier. And, I can teach you. Sweetheart, you just need to be patient with yourself. I promise that it’ll get better. And, I know that this might be hard for you to believe but we do want you here.” Scarlett didn’t say anything. She just looked down at her hands. “I’ll give you some time by yourself...but we’ll be downstairs if you need anything,” Regina told her. “The boys should be home soon and we’ll have dinner.”  Regina stood up from Scarlett’s bed and walked into the hallway. This was definitely not how she had envisioned this day going. Scarlett reminded her so much of herself. Regina could remember what it was like to just be starting out with magic and feel so out of control. She wasn’t as young as Scarlett when her magic first appeared, but it was definitely just as frightening. 

Henry and Roland came home not much later and Roland was practically chomping at the bit to meet Scarlett. “Where’s our new sister?” he asked a smile plastered across his face. 

“She’s upstairs in her room,” Regina told him. 

“I wanna go say hi!” 

“Honey, why don’t we just give her some time,” She prompted. “We don’t want to overwhelm her.” 

“But I just want to say hi to her…” the little boy pouted. 

“I know sweetheart,” Regina replied. “She’s just kind of shy and we have to give her some time to get used to being here with us. Why don’t you go play for a little bit? I ordered pizza. Papa should be back with it soon.” 

“Pizza!” Roland exclaimed. “We never get pizza!” 

“Well, I decided it’d be a nice treat for tonight,” Regina told him. “Go ahead and play with your sister in the living room. Henry, can you help me set the table?” 

“Sure,” the older teen boy replied as he followed his mother into the kitchen. Working in tandem, the pulled plates out of the cupboard and grabbed a stack of napkins. 

“So, how is she really doing?” Henry asked. 

“Not great,” Regina replied. “She seems scared and angry. I just wish she would understand that we want her here.” 

“It’ll take time. Adoption is weird. You adopted me as a baby and I still went through a no one wants me phase,” Henry told her. “You’ll be able to help her, Mom.” 

“Thanks for the vote of confidence, honey,” Regina replied with a smile. Now, she could only hope that Henry was right. Robin came home about twenty minutes later with the pizza. Everyone shuffled around the kitchen and grabbed slices of pizza and a drink. Robin yelled up the stairs to tell Scarlett that dinner was ready and a few minutes later, she appeared. 

“Hi honey, can I get you a slice of pizza?” Regina asked. Scarlett nodded her head. 

“Hi Scarlett, I’m Henry. It’s nice to meet you,” Henry replied, sticking out his hand to the younger girl. 

“Hi,” the young girl replied. 

“I’m Roland!” the young boy said as he ran up to her. “Mama said you lived in a house with lots of other kids but no mommy or daddy. Where are your parents?” 

“Roland... that’s not…” 

“It’s okay,” Scarlett said, cutting her off. “I don’t have any parents. They’re dead.” Silence filled the kitchen with that statement. That was something that neither Regina nor Robin had known about Scarlett. 

“I’m sorry,” Roland said as he placed his little hand on Scarlett’s. “I had a different Mama but she went to Heaven when I was little, so I didn’t have a Mama for a long time. But now I have Regina and she’s a great Mama. Don’t worry, she’ll love you too and so will Papa.” Dinner was pretty quiet after that. No one really seemed to know what to say after that. After dinner, they cleaned up the kitchen and it was time for bed. Regina rocked Addy to sleep and read her a few books while Robin spent some time with Roland in his room. 

“Goodnight sweetheart, have sweet dreams,” Regina whispered as she closed the door to the nursery. She wandered down the hallway to Scarlett’s room and peaked her inside. The room was dark and Scarlett was already lying in bed under the comforter. “Goodnight Scarlett,” she whispered, but no response came. Regina closed the door quietly and headed into her and Robin’s bedroom where Robin was already in bed. 

“I see Roland let you get out early tonight,” She joked. “How many stories did you have to read?” 

“Just five,” Robin replied with a laugh. “And Addy went down easily?” 

“She did,” Regina told him as she climbed into bed. 

“And Scarlett?” 

“She was asleep when I peeked my head in. Or she was ignoring me,” Regina replied with a sigh. “I didn’t anticipate this being so hard.” 

“It’s only the first day,” Robin told her, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “Just give it some time.” 

“I know, you’re right,” she agreed as she cuddled into Robin’s side and slowly drifted off to sleep. At one point during the night, Regina jolted awake to the sound of screaming. Her motherly instincts kicked in and she was out of bed in an instant. She followed the sound of the screams to Scarlett’s bedroom. Regina opened the door and found the little girl tossing and turning in her bed, covered in a layer of sweat.  Regina had had enough nightmares to be able to recognize one. She walked over to Scarlett’s bedside and began to shake her slightly. “Scarlett, Scarlett, it’s just a dream. Wake up, honey.” The little girl’s eyes shot open and she bolted up in bed. “Shh, shh, it’s okay. You’re alright,” Regina cooed. She moved in to give the girl a hug but Scarlett just flinched away. 

“I-I’m fine,” she whispered quietly as she broke from Regina’s grasp. She rolled over in bed and nestled herself under her covers. Regina’s heart ached. All she wanted to do was reach out and hold the little girl in her arms and make her feel safe and loved. However, she knew that Scarlett wasn’t ready for that, so instead she got up and just went back to bed.

“You ‘kay?” Robin asked sleepily. 

“Shh, I’m fine,” Regina told him. “Go back to sleep.” She climbed back into bed and pushed herself into Robin’s strong arms, but she couldn’t manage to fall back to sleep. She couldn’t stop worrying about Scarlett. People didn’t have nightmares like that unless something really terrible had happened to them. She couldn’t help but feel that there was so much to Scarlett’s story that they didn’t know...and being totally honest, Regina was a bit terrified to find out the truth. 

All throughout the rest of the week, things felt different. Everyone in the family was trying to adjust to Scarlett being there and Scarlett was also still adjusting. It was Saturday night when things finally hit a breaking point. They were cleaning up dinner when all of a sudden the sound of glass shattering echoed through the kitchen. 

“I-I’m sorry.” Scarlett stuttered out, her eyes filling with tears and her breaths becoming quicker. 

“It’s alright,” Robin said walking closer to her. “It was an accident. Let’s get you out of this glass.” He went to lift the young girl but she flinched away. 

“Stop! Don’t touch me! I’m sorry. Please! I’ll be good!” Scarlett screamed as she crouched to the ground against the cabinets, her chest heaving as she tried to take in a few breaths. 

“Henry, take Roland and Addy upstairs, please,” Regina said calmly. Henry nodded and did as he was told. Then, Regina moved towards the scared little girl as Robin backed off.  

“Scarlett, sweetheart, you’re alright,” She whispered softly. “You’re safe. No one is angry. Everything is alright.” Scarlett’s eyes were glazed over and she was looking around wildly. “Scarlett, look at me,” Regina said a bit more sternly to get the girl’s attention. She placed her hand on Scarlett’s chest just as Snow had done for her when she was having one of her panic attacks. “Breathe in and out with me. In through your nose and out your mouth,” Regina prompted. Scarlett locked eyes with Regina and after a few more prompts did as she was told. Gradually, her breaths came easier and she started to relax, but she was still crying. Regina pushed some of the glass out of the way and took a seat on the kitchen floor. She tentatively reached out and pulled the girl into her arms. For the first time, Scarlett didn’t flinch away. She practically dove into Regina's arms and cried into her chest. “It’s alright sweetheart, it’s gonna be okay.” As she held the crying little girl, her words echoed in her mind “Please, I’ll be good.” Regina could see herself saying the exact same thing as her mother bound her in belts and squeezed them until she could barely breathe. 

As Scarlett continued to cry, Regina looked up at Robin, who looked terrified. He had never seen one of Regina’s panic attacks, only the aftermath. They shared a glance at one another and without even saying it they both knew what the other was thinking. Fostering a child was going to be a lot more complicated than they both had anticipated. 


	23. Magic Lessons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now that Scarlett has started to settle into her new home, Regina employs the help of Emma to teach her magic lessons

Though her first few weeks had been rough, Scarlett was finally starting to adjust to her new home. She was becoming less shy and beginning to open up more to her newfound family. Most importantly, she hadn’t been plagued by nightmares every night and hadn’t had a panic attack since that night in the kitchen. 

Scarlett also got along very well with her new siblings. Roland had decided that he wanted to be the young girl’s shadow. He always wanted to play games, watch movies or even just cuddle on the couch next to her. Regina tried to talk to Roland and explain that Scarlett needed her space too. She remembered what it was like to be a twelve year old girl and if she were Scarlett, she wouldn’t have wanted a little brother tagging along with her everywhere she went. However, Scarlett didn’t seem to mind in the slightest. She was always kind and patient with the little boy. She often read books with Roland at bedtime and helped him with things he needed like tying his shoelaces and helping him with his homework. Addy also seemed fond of the older girl. She’d often plop herself down on Scarlett’s lap and cuddle into her embrace. Even Henry had reached out to Scarlett and made her feel at home in her new surroundings. 

It took a few weeks, but eventually, Scarlett came to Regina and told her that she was ready to start learning how to control her magic. Regina was overjoyed that the young girl felt comfortable enough to start embracing her true self. Magic was a part of Scarlett whether she liked it or not. She decided to start Scarlett off with something simple. 

“A candle?” Scarlett questioned. 

“Yes, we’re starting with the basics,” Regina told her. 

“I just don’t see how lighting a candle is going to help me control my magic.” 

“Alright then,” Regina replied as she set the candle down on the kitchen table. “Go ahead and light it.” Scarlett let out a sigh and brought her hand up to the wick. Her hand shook as she tried to conjure a flame. She tried very hard but only ended up getting frustrated as the unlit wick stared back at her.  

“Are you ready to learn now?” Regina asked. Scarlett frowned but nodded her head at her foster mother. “Your magic is connected to your mind and your emotions, so it’s important that you’re able to focus and channel your magic rather than letting it out in spurts when you get scared or upset.” Regina picked up the candle and stared at it for a moment before the wick burst into flames. 

“How did you do that? You make it look so easy?” Scarlett asked, a look of shock plastered across her face. 

“Trust me, my dear. That took years of practice,” The older woman assured her. “But you’ll get it too. Would you like to try again?” Scarlett nodded. She took the candle into her hands and looked at it. “Good, now focus on the flame. What does it feel like? Visualize it. Most importantly, don’t think about anything but lighting that candle.” Scarlett shut her eyes and did as Regina told her to. She could see the flame in her mind. The ball of yellow and orange danced in her line of vision and she could practically feel the warmth of it in her hands. Suddenly, a strong surge of magic surged through her palms. Scarlett opened her eyes and her jaw dropped when she saw that the candle was lit. 

“I did it!” She exclaimed. 

“You did,” Regina replied with a smile. “That was very good.” 

“What do I learn next?” she asked, a huge smile on her face. 

“We can try a levitating spell,” Regina replied. “But I think we should do it outside.” She led the young girl outside into the backyard. “We can start with these rocks. What you want to do is think about the rock, not as a heavy object, but as one as light as a feather. Think about which direction you want the rock to move and point in the same direction.” Regina held her hand out and slowly the rock began to rise up into the air. When she was finished, she dropped the rock, letting it crash to the ground. “Your turn,” With her newfound confidence, Scarlett walked right up to the rock and did as Regina told her to. The rock began to shake and rise slowly but it crashed to the ground way before Scarlett was ready to let it go. 

“I don’t understand, why didn’t it go higher? I was focusing.” 

“But what were you feeling?” Regina asked. 

“I don’t know…” 

“That’s your problem,” She told her. “You were able to light the flame because you were frustrated. You used all of that anger to get the flame to light. However, you weren’t feeling anything about moving the rock, which was why you couldn’t hold it. I think you need a bit of motivation,” Suddenly, Regina disappeared in a cloud of purple smoke and Scarlett looked all around for her. 

“Regina? Regina? Where did you go?” The older woman appeared on the roof. 

“Think about catching me. Don’t let me fall,” Regina called as she walked closer to the edge. 

“No! Regina! I’m not ready!” Scarlett pleaded. Her heart was beating so fast. Regina was going to get hurt and it would be all her fault. 

“You can do this!” Regina called. “Believe in yourself.” She took one step off of the roof and began falling. 

“No!” Scarlett screamed. Her hands flew up in the air and pointed towards Regina. She closed her eyes, not wanting to see her foster mother hit the ground. Scarlett waited for the sound of a crash, but one never came. The young girl tentatively opened up her eyes and looked up. Regina was floating in the air above her with a smirk on her face. Scarlett lowered her hand and Regina was able to float to the ground. 

“See! You did it!” Regina exclaimed. She was caught off guard as the young girl ran into her and wrapped her arms around her body. “Hey, hey, it’s okay. You did it.” 

“Please don’t do that again,” Scarlett whimpered, tears running down her cheeks. “I don’t want to hurt you.” 

“Okay, I’m sorry,” Regina said calmly. “Scarlett, you have amazing potential. You just have to believe in yourself. I knew all along that you would never let me fall, okay? You have to trust me as your teacher. Just know that I will never do anything to lead you down the wrong path. Do you understand?” Scarlett nodded her head. Regina gave her a smile and wiped the tears from her cheeks. “What do you say we call it a day for the magic lessons? We can pick up where we left off on another day.” 

“Yeah… I think that’s a good idea,” Scarlett replied quietly. 

“For now, what do you say we go shopping,” Regina suggested. “Emma’s gender reveal and baby shower is in a few days and I have no idea what to get her. Do you think you can help me?” Scarlett nodded her head yes with an excited grin upon her face before following Regina into the house to head out on their shopping trip. 

Later that week, Emma’s baby shower, which was being held at Granny’s, was in full swing. It seemed like the whole town was there. Granny’s was decorated from top to bottom with various shades of pinks and blues.  Emma was practically glowing. She was nearly 24 weeks and her baby bump was really showing now. When Regina looked at Emma, she was so happy for her. However, there were parts of her that wished that she could be the one that was pregnant. Clearly, the water from Lake Nostos hadn’t worked, so getting pregnant was no longer a possibility for her. Still, it was hard to really give up that dream. 

Nevertheless, she was glad that Scarlett was living with them now. It was wonderful to see her opening up to others and just getting the opportunity to be a kid. The only thing that Scarlett still seemed to be struggling with was using her magic. Regina could see that Scarlett was very powerful and had great potential. However, it was clear that she was scared to use her magic.  Regina had a plan to help her get over her fears and that plan included Emma. 

“So, what team are you on? Team girl or team boy?” Regina asked as she walked over to Emma. 

“I don’t really have a preference,” Emma replied. “All I want is a healthy baby...but, I do think a little girl could be a lot of fun.” 

“They’re certainly something,” Regina replied with a laugh. “Out of all my kids, Addy definitely keeps me on my toes the most. What about Captain Guyliner? What does he want?” 

“He tells me that he hopes it’s a boy, but I think secretly he wants a girl,” Emma told her. “We both know that she’d have him wrapped around her little finger.” 

“She definitely would,” Regina agreed. “So, I have a favor that I’d like to ask you.” 

“Uh oh…” 

“No, it’s nothing bad,” Regina assured her. “I’ve been trying to teach Scarlett about using her magic. I just thought that maybe you’d consider helping me. I know that accepting your powers was hard and scary for you and I think Scarlett might benefit from hearing your story. She’s powerful, Emma. I can tell. I just want to make sure she knows how to control herself.” 

“Yeah, I think that I could do that. I definitely know how it feels to be out of control and worry about hurting those that you love most, so of course, I’ll help.” Emma replied. 

“Thank you so much, Emma,” Regina told her. “I really appreciate it.” 

“Wow, this is kind of weird,” Emma said with a laugh. “I never thought I’d be the one giving magic lessons to anyone.” 

“Stranger things have happened, dear,” Regina told her. Suddenly, their conversation was interrupted by Snow calling for Emma. It was time for the gender reveal. “We’ll talk about a time later. For now, go and enjoy your day.” 

“Sounds great,” Emma replied before walking over to Snow. She and Hook had decided to announce the gender using a balloon filled with either blue or pink confetti. Everyone gathered around the couple.  “Is everyone ready?” she asked. Cheers echoed through Granny’s.“Okay, on the count of three!” Emma announced. She held the pin in her hand up to the black balloon that Hook was holding. 

“3...2...1…!” Everyone counted. Emma pulled back her hand and darted the pin into the balloon. There was a loud popping noise and then, pink confetti exploded all around the couple. 

“It’s a girl!” Everyone cheered. 

“I can’t believe it. A girl,” Hook said as he pulled Emma in and pressed a kiss to her lips. Regina gave the pirate a smirk from afar. Emma was definitely right. That little girl would definitely have Hook wrapped around her little finger.  At that same moment, Regina looked over to where Robin was sitting with their children. Addy was sitting on Robin’s lap with Scarlett and Roland on either of his sides. All four of them were smiling and talking animatedly. She watched as Robin took a finger full of icing and tried to plop it on Scarlett and Roland’s noses. She could hear their giggles and shrieks as they tried to evade the icing from across the room and couldn’t help but smile. At that moment, Regina felt so lucky to have such an amazing husband and children. It didn’t matter that she didn’t give birth to any of them. They were hers and nothing was going to change that. 

About a week later, Regina arranged for Emma to meet her and Scarlett in her vault for a magic lesson. Snow and Charming had agreed to watch Roland and Addy for the day and Henry had agreed to tag along so Regina, Emma, and Scarlett could have some alone time. Even Robin and Hook were out of the picture for the day. Because Emma was getting a lot further along in her pregnancy, she and Hook had agreed (surprisingly) that acting as Sheriff was a bit dangerous so she needed someone to replace her on an interim basis. Emma had asked Robin if he would be interested and after taking to Regina, he accepted. Since everything had slowed down following their return from the Underworld, Robin had felt a bit lost in what his purpose was. He loved being a Dad and leading the Merry Men, but there wasn’t much thievery that needed to be done in Storybrooke. Acting as Sheriff seemed to fill Robin with a new sense of purpose. He loved making sure that people were safe and the extra money wasn’t bad either. They did have four kids to take care of now. Today, Robin and Hook were out on patrol near the town line making sure that the perimeter of the town was okay. 

“So, Scarlett, are you ready to get started with another lesson?” Regina asked. 

“I guess so,” the little girl replied as she rubbed her hands together nervously. 

“You know, I only found out about my powers about three years ago,” Emma replied. “And, I was so scared. I just felt so strange and out of control. I even ended up hurting Henry purely because I was trying so hard not to hurt him.” 

“I don’t want to hurt anyone…” Scarlett replied quietly. 

“Oh sweetheart, we know you don’t,” Regina told her. “That is why we want to teach you.” 

“And you will learn to control your powers, I promise,” Emma told her. ”It takes time but we both know that you can do it. So, are you ready?” Scarlett nodded. 

“Alright, so the next thing that I think we can work on is magical transportation,” Regina told her. 

“I like to call it poofing,” Emma said, chiming in. “Oww,” she said suddenly as she pressed a hand to her stomach. 

“Are you okay?” Regina asked, seeing Emma’s sudden pain. 

“Yeah, I’m fine. They’re Braxton Hicks contractions. I had them with Henry too. I’ve been having them off and on for the past couple days,” Emma told her. “Whew...I’m fine. I just needed a second.” 

“Alright, if you’re sure,” Regina told her. “Anyway, magic transportation…” 

“Poofing!” 

“Whatever, poofing,” Regina agreed. “Like the other lessons that we’ve done. The most important thing is to focus. You need to focus on where you want to go and feel it with your whole body. I’ll go first. I’m going to ‘poof’ to the other side of the room. I think about it and with a wave of my hand...” At that moment, Regina disappeared in a cloud of purple smoke and reappeared across the room.  “I’m over here.” 

“Alright, Scarlett, your turn,” Emma told her. 

“Alright, I’ll try,” Scarlett closed her eyes and visualized what the area across the room looked like. She could feel a flurry of magic in her stomach and then before she knew it, she felt like she had left her body. She felt like things were flying by her so quickly but her actual body felt like it was moving in slow motion. Then things began to get clearer. When Scarlett opened her eyes, she realized she was standing across the room and Regina and Emma were beaming at her. “I did it!” She exclaimed. 

“You did!” Regina exclaimed as she rushed to give her a hug. “I’m so proud of you.” 

“I think we could step up the difficulty level. What about a healing spell?” Emma suggested. 

“Emma, those are really difficult. You’ve only just got the hang of them,” Regina countered. 

“I think she can handle it. Give her a chance.” 

“I want to try,” Scarlett said. There was a certain degree of confidence in her voice that hadn’t been there before so Regina decided to trust Emma and give Scarlett a chance. 

“You’ll be able to fix this if she can’t?” Regina asked. 

“Yes, I’m sure I can manage,” Emma told her. 

“Alright,” Regina walked over to a golden box and opened it. Inside was a sharp, silver and gold knife. 

“What are you doing?” Scarlett asked. 

“You need something to try and heal,” Regina replied as she took the knife and slid it over her arm in one fast slice. A cut opened on her arm and blood trickled out of it. “Alright, coach her through it, Emma,” she said, grimacing at the pain in her arm. 

“Alright Scarlett, come closer to Regina’s arm,” Emma instructed. “Now hold your hand over it. Think about projecting love and healing towards the wound.” Scarlett did as she was told. She felt her hands begin to shake and a white glow began to emit from her palms.  She tried to project that power but Scarlett could feel it overwhelming her, so she pulled her hands back and started rubbing them together. 

“I’m sorry, I-I can’t,” Scarlett said softly. 

“That’s alright,” Emma told her. “You tried.” She turned towards Regina’s arm and waved her hands over the cut and made it disappear. “Healing magic is definitely very tough and you have to dig deep. You just have to keep working on it. Don’t feel bad.” Scarlett nodded, but she still felt bad about it. Over the next few hours, Regina and Emma continued to show Scarlett different spells. However, their time was plagued by Emma’s Braxton hicks contractions. 

“Ouch, damn it,” Emma groaned, holding onto her stomach. 

“You’re having another one?” Regina asked. Emma nodded as she let out a deep breath. “Are you sure that you’re alright? You’ve had a bunch of these contractions today.” 

“I’m sure I’m fine,” Emma told her. Suddenly, she doubled over and let out a groan and felt a stream fluid cascade down her pants. 

“What just happened?” Scarlett asked. 

“I-I think my water just broke,” Emma replied, her eyes wide with fear. “I’m only 25 weeks. Something is wrong.” She reached down and felt her pants. When she lifted her hand, it was wet with blood. “I’m bleeding.” 

“We need to get you to the hospital,” Regina said quickly as she moved to help Emma. “Scarlett, let’s go. We need to go.” Regina looped an arm around Emma’s side and helped her up the stairs out of the vault. As they got to the door, a harsh cold wind whipped their faces. It had started to snow pretty badly.  The three of them fought their way through the cold winter weather until they made it to Regina’s car. Regina helped Emma into the passenger seat before going around to the driver’s seat and climbing in while Scarlett climbed in the back. Regina began to drive towards the hospital as Emma sat next to her and panted through the contraction pain. “Just hold on Emma. We’ll be there soon.” 

“Hurry please, it hurts. I haven’t felt her move in a while. I think something is really wrong,” Emma replied with tears in her eyes. Regina pressed her foot down on the gas pedal and sped up. They came to a sharp curve and it happened so fast. Regina tried to brake but the car began to slide against the icy road. 

“Regina, look out!” Emma yelled as the car slid off the road. Screams erupted from the girls in the car and suddenly the sound of the car smashing against a tree filled the air. Then everything was silent...


	24. Lifeline

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regina, Emma and Scarlett must face the aftermath of their terrible car crash

Emma was the first to come to after the car crash. She groaned as she tried to move her sore body. She already had a bruise forming on her chest from the seat belt and a few cuts on her arms from the glass that had shattered from the front windshield. “Oww, god…” Emma moaned as she was hit with another contraction. Breathing heavily, she looked to her left. “Oh god, Regina,” she cried. Regina was completely unconscious. There was blood running down her forehead from where her head had presumably collided with the driver’s side window. Emma undid her seatbelt and reached over to Regina to shake her. “Regina! Regina! Wake up!” she yelled. Emma looked down and gasped when she saw a huge shard of glass sticking out of Regina’s stomach that was bleeding profusely. Though she was worried about Regina, Emma realized that they were not the only two people in the car. “Scarlett? Scarlett? Are you okay?” Emma yelled

“I-I’m okay,” The little girl replied weakly from the backseat. “W-what happened?” 

“We were in a car accident,” Emma told her. “Are you hurt?” 

“I-I don’t know.” Though it hurt every step of the way, Emma pulled herself from the car and made her way to the back. She opened up the back passenger side door and got a good look at Scarlett. The little girl looked scared out of her mind but other than a bruise forming on her chest from the seatbelt and some scratches, she looked relatively untouched. With tears in her eyes, Scarlett launched herself at Emma and Emma held her tightly in her embrace. 

“It’s alright. We’re gonna be - oww!” Emma screamed as another contraction tore through her body. 

“Is Regina okay?” Scarlett asked. 

“No, I don’t think so.” Emma walked back to the front seat and tried once again to wake up Regina but the woman was still out cold. The puddle of blood from the shard of glass in her stomach was growing larger. “We have to get her out of here...we need to get to the hospital.” Emma pulled out her cell phone and tried to dial the sheriff station’s number. “Oh god, I don’t have any service - oww!” Another contraction hit. 

“What are we gonna do?” Scarlett asked. 

“We have to try and heal her,” Emma said. “God...I don’t know if I should take the glass out or leave it in.” Her hands shook as she deliberated on what to do. However, ultimately, Emma decided to take the glass out and try to heal Regina. She grasped the piece of glass and pulled quickly. The glass slid out and blood began to gush out of Regina’s wound. Emma practically dived on top of the woman as she applied pressure with her hands to try and stop the bleeding. Emma closed her eyes and tried her best to project healing onto Regina but her concentration was broken by another contraction. “I-I can’t. I’m too weak. Scarlett, you have to try.” 

“But-but I can’t!” Scarlett whimpered. “I couldn’t do it before.” 

“Scarlett,” Emma said through heavy breaths. “You can do this. Please, you have to try.” Scarlett held her hands over Regina and a powerful glow emitted from them. However, after about thirty seconds, it was clear that Scarlett’s magic wasn’t doing anything to heal Regina. 

“I’m sorry, It’s not working,” she cried. 

“Okay, then we have to - god...owww,” Emma groaned. “We have to poof to the hospital. We’ll all freeze out here if we don’t. And, Regina could die. Scarlett, you did this before and I know you can again. I’m too weak to do it. It has to be you--god.” She let out a scream as another contraction tore through her.  “Place your hands on both of us and focus on the hospital.” Scarlett nodded her head. She thought about the hospital. All she wanted to do was get Emma and Regina to the hospital so they could get the care that they needed. She focused so hard and then all of a sudden she felt that out of body experience. When she came back to her body they were out in front of the hospital.  Emma and Regina both lay on the ground. Emma slowly moved from her position on the ground and continued to apply pressure to Regina’s wound. 

“Good job! Now go! Get help!” Emma told her. Scarlett ran into the hospital and looked around wildly for someone to help them. 

“Please! I need help! It’s Emma and Regina! Please come!” A few nurses and Dr. Whale hurried to the girl’s side and followed her out to the front of the hospital with a stretcher. 

“She’s lost a lot of blood!” Emma yelled as Dr. Whale and the nurses approached. “We were in a car accident. She had glass in her stomach. I tried to heal her. Oww!” Emma screamed. “I’m having contractions. It’s too early!” 

“We’ve got both of you, okay,” Dr. Whale said. The nurses and doctors lifted Regina’s lifeless body up onto the stretcher and got a wheelchair for Emma before running inside. Once in the ER, the women were raced off in two different directions and Scarlett was left by herself. 

“Sweetheart, why don’t you come with me and we’ll check you out,” A nurse said. 

“Are Regina, Emma, and the baby gonna be okay?” Scarlett asked. 

“We’re taking really good care of them okay,” The nurse replied. “Now come on. Let me take a look at you.” The nurse started to assess Scarlett’s injuries. She bandaged a few cuts on her arms but other than that Scarlett was really okay. 

“C-can I have a phone to call my foster dad?” she asked. 

“Yeah of course sweetheart,” the nurse replied. She got Scarlett a phone and the scared little girl began to call her foster father’s cell phone number. 

“Hello?” came Robin’s voice. 

“Robin...it’s Scarlett.” 

“Scarlett, honey, what number are you calling from?” 

“I-I’m at the hospital.” the little girl cried. “There was an accident.” 

“Scarlett… what happened?” 

“Emma started having contractions so we tried to get her to the hospital, but the snow is so bad. The car slid off the road and hit a tree. Regina- she’s really hurt. She was bleeding and unconscious. And Emma...she was in so much pain. I’m scared, Robin,” she cried. 

“Alright sweetheart, I promise I’ll be there as soon as I can. Are you alright?” he asked. 

“I’m fine. Just some bruises and scratches. But I’m okay.” 

“Okay, good,” Robin replied. “I’ll be there soon okay.” 

“Okay, please, hurry,” Scarlett cried before hanging up the phone. She sat alone in the ER bay and listen to the noises all around her. She could hear people running around, grabbing various items. 

“I need vitals!” Dr. Whale shouted. 

“Blood pressure 80/40, heart rate 140 and oxygen saturation is at 84%.” A nurse replied. 

“She’s losing too much blood. She’s going into shock. We need to get her to emergency surgery now and stop this bleeding.” Suddenly, Scarlett heard lots of people begin to run. They were pushing a stretcher with Regina on it. She looked pale and lifeless. There was already an IV in her hand and a tube down her throat that was attached to a bag that a nurse was using to make her breath. Feeling terrified, Scarlett started walking around in search of Emma. She walked to all the trauma bays and felt her heart stop when she finally heard Emma’s voice. She was sobbing, gut wrenching shrieks that pierced Scarlett’s ears. She knew that couldn’t mean anything good. 

Suddenly, she heard a familiar voice that sounded like music to her ears. “Scarlett! Scarlett!” It was Robin. 

“I’m here!” She yelled before running over to Robin. The man took the little girl into his arms and held her. 

“It’s alright,” he told her. “Everything is going to be okay.” 

“Scarlett, where is Emma?” Hook asked. He had arrived with Robin because they had been out on patrol together. 

“In there I think, but I don’t know how she is.” 

“I’m gonna ask the front desk,” Hook replied as he walked away. 

“Where’s Regina?” Robin asked. 

“They took her to surgery. I don’t know how she is,” Scarlett told him. “She looked really bad, Robin. I-I’m sorry.” 

“Sweetheart, why are you sorry?” Robin asked. 

“I-I couldn’t heal her. Emma said I could do it but I couldn’t. I could have saved her, but I wasn’t good enough,” Scarlett sobbed. 

“Oh honey,” Robin said as he took her in his arms again. “You tried. This is not your fault. This was an accident. None of this was because of you.” While they were hugging, Hook walked back over. 

“The bloody nurse told me to just wait in the waiting room and told me a doctor would come out and talk to us,” Hook replied. He tried to sit but he only lasted about two minutes before he started pacing the room. “This is bloody torture.” 

“Does Henry know what happened?” Scarlett asked quietly. 

“We called Snow and David to let them know, but they can’t get here right now. The snow is too dangerous and they don’t want to take the little kids out in this kind of weather. But they’ll be here as soon as they can.” Robin told her. 

“I-I feel like we should be doing something,” Scarlett said quietly. “I-I don’t know what to do.” 

“All we can do right now is wait and just think good thoughts that everything is going to be alright,” Robin told her. They waited for what seemed like forever until Dr. Whale finally came out to talk to them. 

“Whale- how’s Regina?” Robin asked. 

“How is Emma? How’s the baby?” Hook asked immediately chiming in. 

“Alright, Robin, we had to take Regina into emergency surgery. She had a wound in her abdomen that wouldn’t stop bleeding. We transfused her with six units of blood and think that we were able to repair everything...but Robin, she’s lost a lot of blood. She’s still unstable. She’s unconscious and on a ventilator that is breathing for her. She is definitely not out of the woods, but we did stop the bleeding for now.” 

“But is she going to be okay?” Robin asked. 

“I want to tell you to hope for the best, but I also want you to be prepared for the worst,” Whale replied. “Robin, I’m so sorry.” 

“C-can I see her?” Robin asked. 

“For a few minutes, but she is still very unstable and needs 24 hour supervision,” Whale explained. 

“And Emma? What about Emma?” Hook asked. 

“Hook, maybe we should go somewhere private,” Dr. Whale said. 

“Just tell me. I’m tired of waiting. I need to know how Emma is.” 

“Okay,” Dr. Whale agreed. “When Emma got here she was having contractions and bleeding. We did an ultrasound and hooked her up to a fetal monitor, but there wasn’t a heartbeat. Hook, I’m so sorry but she lost the baby. But, Emma is stable. We have her in a private room. We’re giving her medications to help her pass the baby. I’m so sorry for your loss.” Hook placed a hand over his mouth and sat down on a chair. He placed his head in his hands and started to cry. Robin took a seat next to the other man and placed a comforting hand on his back. He knew there was nothing that he could say to make Hook feel any better. There was no worse pain than the pain of losing a child. 

“When you both are ready, Hook, I can take you to see Emma and Robin, you can see Regina,” Whale replied. After a few minutes, Hook composed himself and followed Dr. Whale to the private room where Emma was and then he took Robin to Regina’s room in the intensive care unit. “I’ll give you some time,” Robin felt like his heart was beating so fast as he walked closer to Regina’s bed. He felt tears spring into his eyes. 

“Oh love…” he breathed out. She looked worse than Robin expected. Her skin was deathly pale and there was a large sutured incision on her forehead. Her chest was moving up and down rhythmically as the ventilator forced her to breathe. There were more than a handful of infusion pumps pushing all kinds of medications into the multiple IVs in Regina’s body. She was also hooked up to a heart monitor and pulse ox so that the nurses could monitor her vital signs. Robin ran his hand gently against Regina’s cheek. “You have to be okay,” he cried. “Regina, you have so many people who need you. Henry...Roland, Addy. They need their mom. And Scarlett, I don’t she’ll ever forgive herself if you die. I-I don’t know how I’ll be able to live if you die. So please Regina, you have to fight. Fight with everything you have. We need you to be strong. We need you alive. I-I love you,” Robin cried. He held onto Regina’s hand and pressed a kiss to her forehead. She had to come through this...she just had to. 

Out in the waiting room, Scarlett was sitting by herself. She had wanted to go with Robin to see Regina but they said only one person was allowed back. While she was sitting there, Snow, David, Henry and the rest of the kids got to the ER. “Scarlett, where are Emma and Regina?” Snow asked. 

“Robin is at the ICU with Regina. She’s not doing very well,” The little girl replied. “And Hook is with Emma...she-she lost the baby.” 

“Oh god…” Snow cried. “Poor Emma.” 

“I want to see my moms,” Henry demanded. 

“They only let Robin back to see Regina and Emma doesn’t want to see anyone but Hook,” Scarlett explained. 

“So, we just wait out here?” Henry asked, his voice full of anger. 

“Yes, we wait,” David said as he clapped a hand on Henry’s back. “Just being here and showing that we support both of them is something that we can do. I know waiting is hard, but right now, we just have to be patient.” Henry nodded his head but didn’t say another word. They all waited for what seemed like hours. Roland and Neal were asleep on a couch and Addy was asleep in Snow’s arms. Scarlett was fighting sleep. She couldn’t relax knowing that Regina was clinging to life. 

“I-I’m going to run to the bathroom…” Scarlett said to Snow and David. She started to wander the halls and looked for any signs that pointed to the ICU. She followed the arrows until she finally found it. Scarlett crept through the hallway and looked into every room. Eventually, at the end of the hall, she saw Robin sitting by Regina’s bedside. Her heart broke when she saw the condition that Regina was in. All of her life, Scarlett only wanted someone to love her unconditionally for who she was. Until Regina and Robin came along, no one had done that. With them, Scarlett finally felt like she had a family who loved her. She couldn’t even fathom the thought of losing her. Scarlett practically jumped when the sound of a  monitor alarming echoed through the hall. 

“Help! I need help in here!” Robin called. A team of nurses and Dr. Whale ran into the room. Whale checked Regina’s pulse but he couldn’t find one. 

“No pulse! Starting CPR! Get the crash cart!” Whale yelled as he started doing compressions on Regina’s chest. “Robin, you need to leave.” 

“I-I can’t leave her,” Robin cried. 

“Someone get him out of here!” Whale yelled. 

“Sir, please, you need to come with me,” One of the nurses said as she pulled Robin out of the room. Scarlett hid off to the side and watched as Dr. Whale and the nurses tried to resuscitate Regina.  They shocked her with the defibrillator twice and continued with compressions, but nothing seemed to be working.Scarlett watched the green line on Regina’s heart monitor. It looked like a wave with no real actual beats. Over time, the line got flatter and flatter until the deafening sound of Regina’s heart flatlining was the only thing that could be heard. Dr. Whale frowned and stopped doing compressions. He glanced at the clock. 

“Time of death, 2:45 pm,” he announced. Out in the hallway, Robin broke down. 

“No! No!” He screamed as he fell to his knees and began to cry once more. “Regina!” he sobbed. Scarlett felt the tears begin to flow down her own cheeks. At this point, she didn’t care if she wasn’t supposed to be there. Scarlett pushed past the nurses and walked to Regina’s bedside. 

“Scarlett, sweetheart, you have to leave. You can’t be here,” Dr. Whale said as he tried to grab onto her arm. 

“Don’t touch me!” she screamed as she pulled her arm from Whale’s grasp. Scarlett looked back to Regina’s body.  This couldn’t be true. This couldn’t be happening. She wasn’t ready to let Regina leave her life. Not ready to give up, Scarlett placed her hands over Regina’s body and began to concentrate on her love for Regina. All she wanted to do was heal her and bring her back to the people who loved her. Scarlett began to feel her magic flow through her hands and although it was a lot on her, she powered through the sensation. She tried to block out the long beeping of the heart monitor and focus, just as Regina had taught her. “Please...please…please, she has to be okay,” she whispered over and over. After what seemed like forever, Scarlett felt a strong surge of magic leave her body and the long beeping stopped. Instead, it was replaced with the sound of a heartbeat...Regina was back. She was alive again.


	25. A Tragic Loss

Everything was a bright white color. That’s all that Regina could see. It was strange. She could see that she had a body, but it definitely didn’t feel like it. Suddenly, she heard a noise. 

“Is someone there?” She called as she walked forward towards the noise. She continued to walk until she came to a golden door. She grabbed onto the handle and hesitated for a moment. Where did this door lead? If she went through it, could she come back? Deciding to take a chance, Regina opened the door and saw a beautiful meadow filled with yellow flowers. Standing out in the middle of it was...no, it couldn’t be. 

“Regina, I’ve been waiting for you for such a long time,” 

“Daniel?” She asked. “Is it really you?” She ran forward and flung herself into his arms. “Wait, how- how are you here? Am-am I dead?” she asked. 

“I believe so,” Daniel told her. 

“I can’t believe I’m actually dead,” Regina replied. “I-I don’t even remember how it happened.” 

“What matters is that you’re safe and you’re with me now,” Daniel replied. “Here, come with me, my love. I’ll show you around.” Daniel intertwined his hand with Regina’s and led her further into the meadow. 

“It looks like where we used to go riding when we were hiding from my mother,” Regina said with a giggle. 

“It sure does,” Daniel agreed. “We could go for a ride now if you desire,” 

“I think that would be-ugh” Regina sudden grabbed onto her abdomen. A hole of light appeared and an overwhelming feeling of heaviness overcame her. “What’s happening to me?” she asked. 

“It appears that someone down there is not done with you yet.”

“But-but I’m happy. I’m okay. I don’t want to go back. I don’t want to leave you,” Regina cried as she held tightly onto Daniel’s hand. 

“I will always be with you,” Daniel told her. “But you have people down there that need you too. I will always love you, Regina, but now, you have to go.” He slipped his fingers from her hand and began to walk away from her. 

“Daniel! Wait!” Regina called. “Please don’t leave me.” However, the man didn’t stop. He continued to walk away and Regina felt herself being drawn away from the light and into the darkness. She felt like she was falling into nothingness and then everything stopped. She was back in her body. Slowly her eyelids began to flutter open. 

“Regina! Oh, thank god!” Robin yelled as he ran to her bedside. There were tears running down his cheeks. Regina looked down and saw Scarlett standing at the foot of her bed. She looked like a deer in headlights.  Suddenly, she became aware of something preventing her from breathing and she began to gag.Her hand traveled up to her mouth and she grabbed ahold of the hard tube in her mouth. That was when Dr. Whale stepped into her vision. 

“Regina, stop. Don’t pull on that,” He instructed. “We will take it out. Just hold on a second.” Whale undid the tape securing the intubation tube and held it firmly in his hand. “Okay, I want you to breathe out,” Regina did as she was told and Dr. Whale began to pull the tube. When it was completely out, Regina began to cough because her throat was so dry and sensitive. “Here, take a sip of water,” Whale instructed as he held the cup to her lips. Regina graciously took a sip and swallowed thickly, wincing a bit as the water ran down her sore throat.  Whale placed an oxygen mask over her throat and Regina immediately reached up to take it off. She didn’t want to feel constricted by anything. However, Dr. Whale was quick to stop her. 

“Regina, you have to leave that on. You still need some oxygen to help you breathe,” He said sternly. Regina had never been one to listen to Dr. Whale. He wasn’t even a real doctor. He had earned his MD from a curse. However, this time there was something about his demeanor that stopped her from disobeying him. He actually seemed to care this time. 

“What-” She cleared her throat. “What happened?” she asked from under the mask. 

“You-you died,” Whale told her. He seemed to be in a bit of disbelief as well. Clearly patients coming back from the dead was not something he had learned to deal with during his fake medical studies. “I-I’m going to give you guys a few minutes,” he muttered quietly before leaving the room. 

“I can’t believe you’re alright,” Robin cried as he ran his fingers through her dark hair.  “I thought I’d lost you.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead and held his forehead against hers. It was hard to believe that just a few moments ago she was dead and now, she was alive again. When Robin pulled away, Regina looked up and saw Scarlett cowering in the corner of the room. There was blood on her clothes and Regina wasn’t sure if it was Scarlett’s blood or hers. All that she knew was that Scarlett looked terrified. “Scarlett, honey, come here,” Regina said as she tried to sit up. As she did, a pang of pain radiated out from her abdomen. With shaky hands, Regina lifted her gown and saw a large incision that ran from just under her breast to the bottom of her stomach.  

“We were in a car accident,” the young girl interjected quietly.  “There was a big piece of glass in your stomach.”She walked tentatively towards Regina’s bedside and reached her arm out to grab Regina’s hand. 

“I-I remember driving...but I don’t remember anything else. Are you okay?” Regina asked. Scarlett nodded her head. “I’m sorry but I’m just so confused. Whale said I was dead but I-I’m clearly not now.” 

“I-I did it…” Scarlett said in a whisper. 

“Did what?” Regina asked, still very confused at what was going on. 

“I brought you back. Healed you...I think.” 

“Healing magic isn’t supposed to work on people who are already dead,” Regina told her. “I-I don’t ever think I’ve heard of it working. What did you do exactly?” she asked. 

“I-I just focused on wanting you to live. I don’t really know what I did.” 

“Let’s talk about this later,” Robin said cutting both girls off. “What matters is that you’re okay,” he told Regina.  “Scarlett, sweetheart, when was the last time you ate something?” he added trying to change the subject. 

 “I don’t know…” 

“Why don’t you go and grab something,” he suggested. Scarlett looked tentatively towards the door but didn’t move. Suddenly, a loud growl from her stomach sounded and gave away how hungry the young girl was. 

“Go on,” Regina coaxed. “I’ll be here waiting when you get back.” 

“I’ll stay with her, sweetheart,” Robin told her. “Why don’t you go let everyone know in the waiting room that Regina is alright and awake.” Scarlett eventually nodded and headed out of the room. Regina watched the young girl leave and then she turned to Robin once more. 

“Robin, what she’s saying is impossible,” Regina said quickly. “Magic doesn’t work on those who are already dead. Not even Emma can bring back the dead and she’s the savior...wait! Emma? Where is Emma? What happened to her?” 

“She’s okay,” Robin told her. “We can talk more about her later,” he said. 

“No, I want to know. We hit a tree and then I-I don’t remember anything,” Regina stammered. “Emma was having contractions. Did they stop them? What happened to the baby?” Robin took Regina’s hand and took a seat on the stool next to her bed. “You’re not telling me something. I can tell. Tell me the truth...please, Robin.” He sighed and took Regina’s hand into his own. 

“She...uhh. There wasn’t a heartbeat,” Robin told her. “She lost the baby.” He watched as something in Regina’s face changed and her eyes glazed over. “Regina? Honey, are you alright?” Regina couldn’t hear a word that he was saying. Her mind was stuck in the past…

 

_*flashback - Enchanted Forest*_

 

_It had been one month since the wedding. One month since being locked up in her new prison. She spent most of her days locked away in her chambers. The king had made it clear that he only needed her to satisfy his needs whenever he desired and care for Snow.  However, that wasn’t something that Regina was interested in doing. She couldn’t stand to look at the little girl. She was the reason that she was here, forced to spend the rest of her days being abused by a man who everyone thought was a saint. Worst of all, she was doomed to live the rest of her life without her true love. Daniel was gone and nothing was going to change that._

_Her monthly cycles had always been fairly regular since she began getting her period when she was twelve years old. When she hit twenty-eight days and didn’t start to bleed, Regina began to worry that there was something going on. She tried to convince herself that it was just stress from everything she had gone through in the past month. However, that theory proved false when she started throwing up every morning like clockwork. There was no doubt in her mind that this was morning sickness and that she was pregnant._

_Part of Regina was terrified. She was only eighteen and didn’t feel nearly ready to be a mother. If there was one thing that she was sure about it was that this baby couldn’t possibly Leopold’s. The timing just didn’t line up. This baby was Daniel’s…it had to be.  She still remembered the night that they had spent together. Daniel had been her first. She remembered his kindness and gentleness throughout the entire experience. It had been one of the best nights of her life. Because this baby was Daniel’s, part of her was unbelievably excited and joyful. She couldn’t believe that they had been able to make this precious little human together._

_Despite her feeling of joy, Regina knew that this baby would bring problems for her. She knew that there was no way that the king would allow a child that wasn’t his to remain in the castle. He would definitely make her give the baby up. So, Regina tried to formulate a plan to make this baby appear as though it was the King’s. If she hid her symptoms and lied, she could make it seem like the baby just came early. Then, maybe, she’d be allowed to keep it. That was the plan that she stuck with for the first few months. She wore dresses that were much too big for her in an effort to camouflage her ever growing baby bump. By the grace of God, the king seemed to not be attracted to her during those few months and actually allowed her to lie peacefully in her chambers.  She didn’t know much about pregnancy, but being forcibly raped didn’t sound like a desired activity for a pregnant woman._

_When Regina was about seven months along, Leopold and Snow traveled to a nearby kingdom to handle some foreign affairs. With the help of her magic, she was able to convince the king that she was feeling under the weather and could not join them. About three days after they left, Regina woke up in the middle of the night to terrible cramps in her abdomen. She knew that something was wrong. Suddenly, she felt a gush of warm fluid running down her legs. She reached her hand down between her legs and gasped when she saw it covered in blood.  Fighting through the pain, Regina scrambled out of bed towards her bedroom door. She opened it and leaned heavily against the door frame as she screamed for help._

_“Help! Help! Someone! I need help!” She screamed as contractions tore through her body._

_Just next door, her lady’s maid, Hannah, heard the Queen’s cries for help and got out of bed. She went into the hallway and gasped when she saw the Queen crying and grabbing her abdomen in pain._

_“Your majesty, what is it?” Hannah asked_

_“Something is wrong! I’m pregnant. I-I need a doctor,” Regina yelled, tears streaming down her face. Hannah ran to her side and helped Regina back to bed._

_“I’ll be right back, your majesty. Just try to breathe.”  The woman turned around sharply and ran to get help. The minutes that she was gone felt like an eternity. Regina’s heart was beating so fast that she felt like she couldn’t catch her breath. “Please be okay. Please be okay,” she repeated over and over again. After a while, her maid and a doctor rushed into the room. The doctor set up his supplies and then began to assess her._

_“Your majesty, I need to do a cervical exam,” He told her. “I need you to open your legs.” Though she was sobbing at this point, Regina did as she was told and let the doctor check. “You’re dilated to about eight centimeters.”_

_“But it’s too early!” She cried. “I can’t be in labor. Surely, you can do something. Please!” she pleaded._

_“It is too late, your majesty,” The doctor replied. “This baby is coming, but there is a chance that it could be alright.” A chance. Regina didn’t want just a chance. She wanted to know for sure that her baby would survive. Had she done something to cause this? The spell to fool the king...had that been the very thing to put her into labor?_

_“If it comes down to me and the baby, save the baby,” Regina pleaded with the doctor through rapid breaths._

_“I will do my best to ensure both of your safety,” the man replied. For the next two hours, Regina endured painful contractions. Hannah stayed by her bedside and held her hand._

_“Your majesty, we can try and contact the King if you’d like.”  
“No,” Regina hissed through gritted teeth. “God…owww,” she groaned as another contraction tore through her body. _

_“Deep breaths, your majesty. You can do this,” the young girl tried._

_“There’s so much pressure,” Regina cried. That statement seemed to alert the doctor who stood up from the seat he’d been residing in._

_“I’m going to check and see how far along you are,” The doctor told her. He lifted her nightgown and Regina saw his eyes widen._

_“What? What is it?” She cried._

_“I-I see a foot,” the doctor told her. “The baby is breech”_

_“Is that bad?” Regina asked._

_“It makes delivery more dangerous. We need to start pushing.  When I tell you to push, I need you to bear down and push with all that you have. Ready, take a deep breath and push!” Regina bared down and screamed as pains tore through her. Her body felt like it was tearing in half.  “Good your majesty, just like that. Keep pushing.” She tried to breathe through the pain but it was becoming unbearable._

_“It burns!” She cried as she felt an immense amount of pressure between her legs._

_“That’s normal. Keep pushing,” Regina bared down with everything that she had in her._

_“Is the baby out?” she asked breathlessly._

_“The body is out, but its head is still stuck. Regina, I need you to keep pushing.”_

_“I-I can’t,” she panted out._

_“You’re almost there, but we need to get this baby out.”_

_“No- I-I-”  
“Your majesty, look at me,” the doctor demanded. “Your baby is in distress. You need to push right now.” Regina was terrified and in so much pain, but she did as she was told. She bared down and pushed against the overwhelming feeling of pressure. Suddenly, she felt a release and the baby was out. The doctor instantly grabbed the infant and carried it away in a blanket. _

_“What’s happening? Where is he going?” Regina cried_

_“He’s working on it, your majesty, It’s going to be alright,” Hannah told her as she dabbed a wet washcloth to Regina’s forehead._

_“Why-why isn’t it crying?” Regina panted. “The baby isn’t crying. What’s wrong?” The doctor turned around and instantly Regina could tell something was wrong._

_“Your majesty...I’m so sorry, but the baby was born blue,” he told her._

_“No...no…” Regina said, her eyes filled with tears._

_“It was a boy.”_

_“Give him to me,” She commanded. The doctor wrapped the baby in a blanket and handed him over to Regina. “Now leave me.”_

_“Your majesty, I need to deliver the placenta and repair-”_

_“I said leave me,” She said sternly. The doctor nodded his head and walked out into the hallway with Hannah close behind him. Her lower lip began to tremble as she stared down at her son’s face. He looked perfect. He had all ten little fingers and ten little toes. She could see parts of herself in him and also parts of Daniel. It didn’t make sense that he was dead. Had it been the spell she used just a few days ago to make herself appear ill? Had she done this to her child? With tears running down her cheeks, she stared down at his angelic face and studied every feature. She traced his eyes, his lips, and even his little nose. She wanted to memorize every detail. “I’m so sorry, little one,” she sobbed. “I’m so sorry that I failed you. I couldn’t keep you safe. I don’t want you to worry…” she whispered. “You’ll be taken care of. Your Daddy will watch out for you. His name is Daniel. I know that you’ll find him. He always liked the name Elijah, so I think that’s your name.” Regina pressed a kiss to the baby’s forehead and shook with sobs as she held his tiny body against her own._

_Upon hearing the Queen’s sobs, Hannah and the doctor returned to her chambers. “I told you both to leave!” Regina yelled._

_“Respectfully, your majesty, no,” the young woman replied. “I will not let you go through this alone. The doctor is going to help you and I’m going to be right by your side.” Regina began to shake her head but Hannah was not taking no for an answer. She held onto the distraught eighteen year old as she cried and nodded to the doctor to tell him to start. The doctor delivered her placenta and repaired the small tear. He looked as if he wanted to do more, but Hannah gave him one look and the man left. “He’s beautiful, your majesty.”_

_“I lost him,” Regina whimpered. “This is all my fault,”_

_“Your majesty, look at me... Regina,” the woman said. Regina looked at the young woman. None of the servants had ever called her by her actual name. “You did not cause this,” Hannah told her. “Do you understand? This was not your fault. You did everything you could to keep him safe.”_

_“I-I tried…” Regina cried._

_“I know you did,” Hannah said softly. “I-I had a little girl of my own, whom I lost. I know that right now, the pain you’re feeling is unimaginable and it feels unbearable, but it will get easier.  Most importantly, you are not alone in this,” Regina took solace in the girl’s comfort. She allowed Hannah to take Elijah from her and lay him down in a small basket while she helped her clean up. Hannah helped Regina into the bath and proceeded to help her bathe. She helped her wash her body and her dark brown locks._

_“We’ll have to tell the King, your majesty,” Hannah said. “He was his son too. He deserves a proper funeral.” That was when Regina froze up. The King couldn’t know about this baby. He didn’t get to have him. He didn’t get to mourn his death. Elijah was the one thing that was truly hers and she wasn’t about to let anyone take him from her. When Hannah was finished washing her hair, Regina allowed her to help her change into a fresh nightgown and get back into bed. “That’s got to feel better, your majesty. You’ll be sore for a few days but you’ll heal. I promise.”_

_“Hannah,” Regina said. The girl turned back towards her and smiled. “Thank you for everything.”_

_“Of course, your majesty,” Hannah replied sweetly._

_“And...I’m sorry,” Regina told her. She didn’t want to do this. Hannah was the only person in this castle...maybe in the entire kingdom who had shown her kindness. But, she couldn’t risk anyone knowing about Elijah. She held up her hand to Hannah’s mind and projected a large bolt of magic into her. The woman looked dazed for a moment before she came too._

_“Your majesty, I don’t know…”_

_“I see you’ve forgotten my tea,” Regina snapped. “You can leave. I don’t desire it any longer.” Hannah looked around confused once more before she eventually was able to get her bearings and head out of Regina’s chambers. A tear slipped from Regina’s eye and cascaded down her cheek. She was alone once more. Regina knew it was her decision to take Hannah’s memories but it didn’t make the silence any less overwhelming. When Regina knew that Hannah was truly gone, she padded across the floor over to the basket where Elijah was still wrapped up in a blanket. She grabbed onto his lifeless little body and spent the rest of the night holding him against her chest._

_When morning finally came, Regina left the castle by herself. First, she went and found the doctor and took his memories as well. She couldn’t risk him telling the King about last night either. Afterward, she journeyed to a beautiful meadow filled with yellow flowers near her old castle. This place was special to her. It was where she had met Daniel. It was where they had spent a night together. It was the place where Elijah had been conceived. It seemed only fitting that his final place of resting be here as well.  She dug a shallow little grave and placed Elijah’s body inside of it before covering him with a layer of dirt. She gathered a few white stones and placed them in a shape of a cross over the little patch of dirt. “Rest in peace, my beautiful little angel. Mama will never forget you,” she said as she placed a hand over the dirt. With tears in her eyes, she stood up and started to walk through the meadow back towards the castle. Regina knew that once she got back to the castle, she would be forced to hide her grief. No one could know about Elijah. That, however, didn’t mean that she would forget about him. Regina knew that she would remember his angelic little face forever...until they would, one day, meet again._


	26. Hope

 

“Regina? Regina, did you hear me?” Robin asked as he gently shook his wife from her daze.  

“I-I heard you,” Regina replied, her eyes coming back into focus. “How are Emma and Hook handling it?” 

“Understandably, not great,” Robin replied. “I don’t think that Emma’s passed the baby yet. She’s laboring. Hook is with her.” Regina felt awful. She knew exactly what Emma was feeling. She remembered how alone and scared she had felt with Elijah. Hannah had been a godsend that day. She was a support system for her when she needed it and she knew exactly what to say to help her process her feelings. Emma deserved a person to do the same for her and Regina decided that she was going to be that person. She started to try and get out of bed, but Robin was quick to hold her down. “Regina? What are you doing? You need to stay in bed.”   
“I need to see Emma” 

“You just had major abdominal surgery. You need to rest.” 

“Robin, I am not going to say it again. I need to see Emma,” Regina retorted. “You can either help me get there or move out of my way because I’m going.” She sat up in bed, wincing at the pain in her incision. She let out a few deep shaky breaths and pushed herself forward. 

“Okay, just wait,” Robin said as he held his hands out in front of her.  “Let me get at least get a wheelchair. You’re not walking. Do not get out of that bed without me.”

“Fine,” Regina agreed. She sat on the edge of the bed and watched Robin leave the room to grab a wheelchair. As soon as he was out of sight, Regina hunched over and breathed deeply through the pain. Though she was alive now,  her injuries were far from healed so she was in a pretty great deal of pain. When Robin returned, Regina sat up straighter, despite the pain and tried to make it seem as though she was okay. 

“Are you sure you’re okay to do this? You already look pale and you still have stitches in your stomach,” Robin said in an effort to persuade her to rest. 

“I said I’m fine,” Regina replied sternly. “Just help me up.” Robin reached down and grabbed onto his wife’s hand and pulled her into a standing position. She let out an involuntary groan and Robin sprang into action. 

“Are you okay? Do you want to sit back down? Are you dizzy?” Robin rambled. 

“I’m fine,” Regina replied once again. “I just want to sit in the wheelchair.” Robin nodded and helped lower Regina down into the chair as she braced her incision with her hand.  When she was situated, Robin grabbed onto Regina’s IV pole and steered the wheelchair down the hallway to Emma’s room. Through the window in the door, Robin made eye contact with Hook, who signaled for the two of them to come inside. Slowly, they opened the door and Robin wheeled Regina closer to Emma’s bed. 

“Regina, thank god you’re okay,” Emma said through deep breaths. “Sorry, I’m having- ugh- a contraction.” She curled further onto her side and grabbed onto the side rail. Emma let out low groans as the pain ripped through her body. Regina looked at Hook at that moment and honestly felt that she had never seen the pirate look so terrified. There were tears forming in the corners of his eyes. 

“Hook, why don’t you and Robin go and grab some food from the cafeteria. You both look like you could use it. I’ll stay with Emma,” Regina suggested softly. 

“I-I don’t wanna leave,” Hook stammered. “I-I should stay.” 

“You-you’ve been here all night,” Emma said through pained breaths. “Go. Get something to eat. I’ll be okay. I promise.” 

“Robin, you go too. I know that you need to eat as well,” Regina interjected. The two men seemed at a loss for what to do. Neither wanted to leave their women, but those women seemed adamant about getting rid of them. “We’ll _both_ be fine,” she added, looking directly at Robin. The two men finally seemed to get the hint and left the room, leaving the two women alone. 

“Not that I’m not glad to see you, but what are you doing out of bed?” Emma asked. “Hook told me that you needed emergency surgery.” 

“I’ve never been a very good patient,” Regina replied with a smirk. “I didn’t want you to be alone...Emma, I’m so sorry. How are you doing?” At that moment, Emma turned away and teared up. She took a moment to compose herself before looking back at Regina. 

“I’m fine,” 

“Emma...you don’t have to hide your feelings from me,” Regina said softly. “We’re very alike the two of us. We always feel like we need to be strong, but it’s okay to fall apart sometimes.” Regina reached out and tried to grab Emma’s hand, but the blonde jerked it away. 

“Please don’t,” She whimpered. “If you touch me, I’m going to fall apart. Oh god… I’m starting a contraction.” Emma turned away from Regina and shook with pain. “My back…” she groaned. Regina knew exactly what that pain felt like. She had felt her contractions with Elijah mostly in her back, which she later found out had a lot to do with his position in utero. She thought back to her own labor and remembered that Hannah had pressed on her back during her contractions and it had really helped. Regina stood up, ignoring her own pain and reached out towards Emma. She pressed her hands firmly against either side of Emma’s hips. “T-that helps,” Emma said, through deep breaths. Regina continued to hold that pressure for about thirty more seconds until Emma’s contraction was over. “Okay, I’m okay.” 

“The back pain is from the position of the baby,” Regina told her. “I can press against your hips again when you have another contraction if you want.” 

“How do you know that?” Emma asked breathlessly. 

“I-I’m going to tell you something. Something that I have never told anyone.” Regina said. “Back in the Enchanted Forest, I-I lost a baby.” 

“I thought that you couldn’t have children.” 

“This was before I took that potion,” Regina told her. “I was only eighteen. I found out a month after I married Snow’s father that I was pregnant. I knew that it was Daniel’s. Leopold had only forced himself on me once at that point and the timing just didn’t add up. I kept it from him. I knew he would make me get rid of the baby if it wasn’t his.” 

“What happened to the baby? Emma asked. 

“I-I was seven months along. Snow and her father were away on business and I just remember feeling these terrible pains in my lower abdomen and I thought my water broke but when I looked...it-it was blood. I labored for a while but when I went to push, the baby was breech. I know now that what I went through was very dangerous and if we hadn’t been in the Enchanted Forest, doctors would have rushed me into an emergency c-section. When I was delivering, the head got stuck for a while and when he came out...he was blue. He never had a chance.” 

“Regina-I-I am so sorry,” Emma said before groaning and going into another contraction. Regina continued to press on Emma’s hips until her pain subsided. 

“I-I feel like I’m in denial,” Emma said in a whisper. “I understand that there wasn’t a heartbeat...but it just doesn't feel real. How can I have a baby one moment and not have one the next?” she said, a tear running down her cheek.  

“It’ll take time. I’m not going to lie to you. It’ll feel like a part of you is missing...that feeling never goes away. But the sadness, it gets better. The most important advice I can give you is to let yourself feel. Let yourself be sad or mad. I wish back then that someone could have told me that because I had to hide every emotion.” Regina told her, her own eyes filling with tears. “I promise you that you won’t be alone...unless you don’t want me in the room.” 

“No, I-I want you here,” Emma replied. “I know that we’ve had our differences but up until just now, I felt so alone and confused.” 

“Then, I’ll be here,” Regina told her. She took Emma’s hand into her own and at that moment, there was an understanding between the two women. For the next two hours, Regina helped Emma through every contraction and Hook also came back into the room. Before they knew it, Emma was fully dilated and it was time to push. 

“Alright Emma, take a deep breath, bear down and push,” Dr. Whale instructed. Emma bore down for a few seconds before letting out a breath. 

“I-I can’t do this,” She cried. “I-I’m not ready. I need more time.” There were tears streaming down her face. Hook was also crying. He was holding Emma’s hand but he could barely look at her.”

“Emma…” Regina said softly. 

“I’m not ready to see her, Regina. I just need more time.” 

“There will never be enough time for you to truly be ready,” Regina told her. “I know that you’re in so much pain and there’s only one way to make that pain go away. When she comes out, you’re gonna hold her in your arms and look at her little face. You’re gonna memorize every detail. But you have to do this, Emma. So, you can scream as loud as you need to or squeeze our hands. You are so strong, okay?” Emma didn’t reply, she only gave Regina a small nod and looked to Whale to tell him that she was ready to push. Emma pushed for another ten minutes but those ten minutes felt like forever. 

“Okay, Emma, her head is out. Just one more push,” Whale coaxed gently. Emma groaned and pushed one last time before she felt a release and the baby was out. Whale wrapped the tiny baby girl up in a blanket.

“Emma, do you want to hold her?” He asked. Emma shook her head and looked away. 

“Can I see her?” Hook asked. Whale nodded and placed the blanket into Hook’s arm. The man just crumbled as he looked at her daughter’s little face. Tears streamed down his face as he cuddled her tiny body against his chest and pressed a kiss to her little forehead. Back in her bed, Emma sobbed and Regina held her in her arms as she cried.  She knew there wasn’t anything that she could say to take away Emma’s pain. They stayed like that for a while until Emma’s sobs started to quiet. 

“Do you want to see her?” Regina asked. “You don’t have to but I can tell you that I will never forget holding my baby after I delivered. 

“I-I don’t know if I can,” Emma told her.

“S-she’s beautiful, Emma. She looks so much like you,” Hook told her. “Please, just hold her,” he pleaded. 

“Okay,” she finally agreed. Hook gently placed the blanket into Emma’s arms. 

“She’s so tiny,” Emma cried. She pulled the blanket down and looked at her little girl. She had all ten fingers and ten toes. She looked like any normal baby...just smaller. 

“She’s beautiful,” Regina interjected. “I see both of you in her.” 

“I-I think she needs a name,” Emma said quietly. 

“We had talked about Allison,” Hook said. “Do you still like that name?” 

“She just doesn’t look like an Allison anymore,” Emma said. “Regina...what was your baby’s name?” 

“Elijah…” she replied. “His name was Elijah. I can’t tell you why I liked that name. It just seemed to fit. That’s who he was.” Emma looked down at the little girl in her arms for a long time before she finally spoke. 

“I-I think she looks like a...Hope.” Emma looked to Hook. “Is that okay?” 

“I think Hope is perfect,” Hook replied as he pressed a kiss to Emma’s forehead. Seeing that Emma was starting to be okay,  Regina felt the adrenaline in her body begin to fade. She grabbed onto the bed as a wave of dizziness washed over her. 

“I-I think I need to sit down,” Regina said. Hook walked over to Regina’s side and helped her to sit back in the wheelchair. “I think I’d better go and rest. I-I probably shouldn’t be up anyway,” she finally admitted. 

“I’ll take you back to your room,” Hook replied.  He started to push the wheelchair closer to the door when suddenly Emma stopped them. 

“Regina, wait!” she called. “Thank you...for everything.” 

“You’re welcome,” Regina replied. “Just know I’m here if you ever need to talk,” she added before Hook wheeled her out of the room. He took her down the hallway and helped her back into bed. 

“Do you need anything?” Hook asked after she was situated. 

“Just Robin...and my kids,” Regina replied. “You should get back to Emma and Hope. Hook, I am so sorry that you lost her but she is absolutely beautiful.” 

“Thank you,” he said softly. “Thank you for being there for Emma. You really seemed to help her. I really appreciate it.” 

“Of course,” Regina replied with a genuine smile. Hook left the room after that and Regina waited for Robin and her kids to come into the room. After seeing Emma hold onto little Hope, all that Regina wanted to do was hug her own children. She waited for a few minutes before she heard little voices coming down the hallway.  

“Mama! You’re okay!” Roland exclaimed as he ran forward towards her bed. He climbed onto her bed and threw himself into her arms...a little too forcefully for Regina’s taste as she let out a groan as a pang of pain shot through her incision. 

“Careful with Mama, buddy,” Robin scolded. “She’s still healing so you need to be gentle.” 

“Oh, sorry,” Roland apologized as she shrank back from Regina’s body. 

“It’s alright baby, why don’t you just sit next to me,” She suggested. He smiled at her and nodded as he cuddled against her side. “And let me see this little one,” she added as she held her arms out to a sleepy looking Addy who readily fell into her Mama’s arms. 

“How are you feeling, mom?” Henry asked as he walked closer to her bedside. 

“I’m okay,” She told him with a smile. “I’m sore but alright...thanks to Scarlett anyway.”

“I-it was nothing…” Scarlett replied shyly. “I just did what I had to.” 

“Sweetheart, what you did means everything to me,” Regina said. “You saved my life.” Scarlett started to tear up. “Oh, honey, come here.” Scarlett walked over to Regina’s bedside and allowed Regina to pull her into a hug. 

“I’m just so glad you’re okay,” Scarlett whimpered. “I-I didn’t want to lose you.” 

“And I didn’t want to leave you...all of you. I am just so grateful to have an amazing husband and beautiful, smart, healthy children. I couldn’t ask for anything more.” Regina replied. In that moment, Regina truly felt content. Her heart ached for Hook and Emma and what they were going through. However, this whole experience made her appreciate her family even more. She had a second chance at life. This time, she wasn’t about to waste a second of it.


	27. Alive

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, it's been a while since I updated! I just switched to night shift and adopted a kitten so things in my life have been hectic. Regardless, I hope you guys enjoy and I just want you all to know that I haven't given up on this story.

It had been six weeks since the car accident and things had been…different, to say the least.  Robin had taken over as sheriff for the time being because Hook and Emma were still taking some much needed time off to grieve their little girl. Regina had also been acting strangely since they came home from the hospital. Physically, her incision had pretty much healed but mentally, things still weren’t quite right.

“Are you ready to go back to work?” Robin asked Regina as she buttoned up her blouse. 

“Yeah, I guess so,” she muttered as she looked at herself in the mirror. She had always been confident in her body, but this scar made her feel very self-conscious. She and Robin hadn’t been intimate since the accident and it was really starting to wear on her.

“You know that you can take more time off if you need. Snow can handle town affairs for a little longer,” Robin told her. 

“No...I-I can go back,” Regina replied. “I’ve been gone for long enough and I-I’m healed anyway. There’s no reason for me to not go back. Plus, we’re paying for Addy to go to daycare so I might as well go back to work.” 

“You’re sure?” 

“Yes, I’m sure,” Regina replied. 

“You know I’m only a phone call away if you need me,” Robin told her as he pressed a kiss to her temple. 

“I better get going before I'm late,” Regina replied. “I-I’ll see you later,” she added before heading downstairs. Once downstairs, she grabbed her purse and made her way towards the door and out towards her and Robin’s new car. Unfortunately, her Mercedes had been totaled beyond repair. She grabbed onto the handle and climbed in the front seat. With shaking hands, she put the keys into the ignition. The engine roared to life and Regina felt her heartbeat begin to quicken. Suddenly, she couldn’t hear anything and her whole body began to shake.  She felt dizzy and it felt like the whole car was moving. However, in reality, she hadn’t even left the driveway. “I can’t do this…” she muttered to herself as she shut off the car and got out. The office wasn’t that far. She could walk.

It took a good twenty minutes to get to the office, meaning that she was late to the town meeting.  “Madam Mayor! I didn’t know you’d be in today,” Jenny, her secretary, said as she walked into the building. 

“Well, here I am,” Regina replied, still a bit out of breath from her walk 

“If I had known, I would have had them wait to start the meeting,” Jenny replied. Regina didn’t wait for Jenny to finish her sentence. She barged into the boardroom and instantly, the talking from the town council ceased. 

“Regina!” Snow exclaimed. “What are you doing here?” 

“Well, I am the mayor,” Regina quipped. 

“Of course. We just thought you were still taking some time to heal,” Snow said to her as she pulled up another chair to the table. 

“I’m plenty healed. What I need is to get back to work,” Regina replied, trying her best to act tough. In reality, Regina felt as though she could barely make it to the chair. Her body was aching and she felt exhausted. She hadn’t done much exercise since the accident and her walk from earlier was proving to be a bit much for her. “So, what were we talking about?” Regina asked. 

“We were just discussing the budget for the next year,” Snow told her. 

“Good, then let's get down to business,” Regina replied. She opened up the folder in front of her and began to read over the paper. As time passed, things began to get heated between the different members of the town council. 

“Really? We do not need to spend money on the clock tower. The damn thing hasn’t worked properly for years and whenever it does work, bad things always seem to follow,” Granny said loudly. 

“It’s the biggest landmark in town!” Leroy countered. “It’s worth keeping in good condition.” 

“But there are other areas of this town that need improvements!” Marco interjected. 

“Guys, we will figure this out. Let’s just all take a breath,” Snow said. She looked over to Regina, who had barely said a word since the meeting began. Normally, Regina didn’t stand for this kind of behavior at meetings. She was always so strict and in control. Today, Regina just didn’t seem there mentally. “Regina, what do you think about the funds for clock tower? Regina?” she repeated when the mayor didn’t reply. 

“I-uhh-I…” Regina stuttered. 

“Are you even paying attention, sister?” Leroy quipped back and Regina’s face fell. 

“Why don’t we just take a break.” Snow said, trying to cut the tension. “We all just need some time to cool off.” The rest of the town council dispersed and audible grumbles could be heard as people walked away. When everyone had left the room, Snow turned back to Regina.  “Are you okay?” she asked. The brunette didn’t reply or meet Snow’s gaze. “Regina, if you’re not ready for this, that’s okay. What you went through was a lot and you deserve time to process it all. I can, of course, keep helping you while you do that.” 

“I know that I can do this…” Regina began. 

“Of course, then I’ll back off and let you do your thing,” Snow told her. 

“I can do this. I just...don't want to,” Regina said. 

“Wait? What does that mean?” 

“I don’t want to do this anymore. I don’t want to deal with the arguing and administrative bullshit. I...I quit,” Regina said. She stood up and began to gather her things. 

“Regina, wait! Just think about this,” Snow replied. “You’re a good mayor. You don’t want to do this.” 

“Sorry… I just can’t do this anymore, Snow,” She replied before grabbing her bag and heading out of town hall. As she walked back to the house, Regina could feel her heart beating so fast. She couldn’t believe that she had just done that. What was she thinking? She just quit her job. The rational part of her knew that what she had just done was crazy, but part of her just didn’t care anymore. It felt like a fresh start and she was excited to figure out what was next. 

Around lunchtime, Robin finally got a spare moment to go and check on Regina at work. With a bag of Granny’s takeout in hand, he walked into the town hall. “Hey Jenny, she in her office?” he asked as he approached the secretary’s desk. 

“Robin...what are you doing here?” the young woman asked. 

“I’m here to bring Regina lunch.”

“She isn’t here,” Jenny told him. 

“Well...then where is she?” Robin asked curiously. 

“Robin, she quit.” 

“What are you talking about? She just came back to work today. What happened?” 

“I don’t know. She just...left in the middle of the board meeting,” Jenny explained. “I can try calling her if you’d like.” 

“No, I’m fine. Thanks, Jenny,”  Robin replied. He pulled out his own cell phone and pressed on Regina’s contact. “Pick up, pick up…” he muttered as the phone continued to ring. Finally, when the phone went to Regina’s voicemail, Robin decided he was just going to head home to check on her. 

When he got home, he could tell the Regina was there because the front door was unlocked.  “Regina? Are you home?” he called. He walked in the front door and into the living room where he saw a sight that shocked him. Regina was lying across the couch dressed in a grey hoodie and pair of pink sweatpants that Robin didn’t even know she owned. Her hair was pulled up into a ponytail and black-framed glasses were perched on her nose. She was also eating ice cream straight out of the carton. 

“Hey, what are you doing home?” she asked, sitting up on the couch. 

“What am I doing home? What are you doing home?” he asked. “Jenny said that you quit.” 

“Yeah, I just didn’t want to do it anymore,” Regina replied nonchalantly. “Have you ever seen this show?” she asked. “It’s called Keeping Up with the Kardashians. For the life of me, I can’t figure out what these people actually do for a living. They just seem to have all the money in the world and so many problems. They make our lives look almost easy.” 

“Regina...are we just not going to talk about you quitting your job?” 

“There’s nothing really to say,” she replied with a shrug. “It’s done. I quit.”

“We have four kids!” Robin exclaimed. “And I am the interim sheriff. How are we supposed to pay bills? Henry is going to be starting college in a few months.” 

“Everything will be fine. I’ll get a different job,” Regina replied. She stood up from the couch after setting her ice cream down and walked over to him. “I know that this is stressful for you, but everything is going to be fine. Let me take some of your stress away,” She whispered seductively as she began to kiss his neck. 

“Regina…” he moaned. As much as he wanted to enjoy this moment, something was wrong. This was not his wife. She didn’t dress or act like this. Something was clearly wrong. “Regina, stop,” he replied as he gently pushed her off of him. 

“What? You don’t want me?” she asked. 

“Of course, I want you, but not right now,” Robin retorted. “We need to talk about this. I feel like something is seriously wrong.” 

“Nothing is wrong with me!” Regina growled back. “I’m fine!” 

“Regina, you quit your job. You’re lying around the house in sweatpants, eating ice cream and watching trashy reality television,” Robin replied. “This isn’t you!” Regina went to counter when Robin’s cell phone suddenly rang. “I have to take this.” He listened for a while and then finally replied, “I’ll be right there. Marco and Leroy got in a fight and Snow had to break it up. I need to go back to the town hall. We are not done talking about this,” Robin warned before grabbing his car keys and heading out the front door. 

After Robin left, Regina took a seat on the couch and pressed a hand against her heaving chest. Robin had never yelled at her like that before. She knew that her actions didn't make any sense. Frankly, nothing in her life felt like it made sense anymore. Since her near-death experience, Regina felt like she was chasing the calmness and peace that she experienced when she was dead. Even though she was back, she didn’t feel alive. Right now especially, Regina just felt like she was suffocating in this house and she didn’t know how to deal with it. She just needed to get out and go somewhere. She went upstairs and changed into a pair of jeans and a t-shirt and pulled on a pair of sneakers that she grabbed from the back of her closet. After heading downstairs, she scribbled a note for Henry, who was already picking up the three younger children, and left some money on the counter so they’d be able to order pizza for dinner. Then, she took off without looking back. 

Later on in the evening, Robin finally made his way home. He heard his kids' voices coming from the kitchen and wandered inside. He was surprised when he saw Henry serving pizza to Roland, Addy, and Scarlett. “Hey guys, I see we got some pizza,” Robin said as he pressed a kiss to Addy’s forehead and ruffled Roland’s curly hair. “Where’s Mama?” he asked. 

“Umm, she left a note saying she was going out and left some money so I could order this pizza,” Henry replied. “So, I’m not exactly sure where she is.” 

“Okay, I’ll try giving her a call and see when she’s coming home,” Robin replied, trying not to give away his anxiety about his wife’s apparent midlife crisis. 

“Is Mama gonna be home to read books with me and Addy?” Roland asked.

“I’m not sure, buddy. I’ll have to find out,” Robin told him. 

“If not, I’ll read books with you and Addy, okay?” Scarlett replied sweetly. Roland gave the girl a smile and seemed satisfied with her answer. 

“Alright, who wants more pizza?” Henry asked, trying to change the subject. In the meantime, Robin walked off to the bedroom to give Regina a call. For the second time today, she didn’t pick up, so he decided to leave her a message. 

“Regina, please call me back. I just want to know where you are. Your kids are asking for you...and I need to know that you’re okay. Just please...come home. We’ll talk things through. I won’t yell. Just please, Regina, call me back. I love you,” He ended his message. Robin knew there wasn’t much he could do in this situation. All he could do was put his kids to bed and pray that his wife was okay and would be home soon. 

Across town, Regina had found herself back at The Round Table with a drink in her hand. This time her drink of choice wasn’t the Apple Jack’s shots that she had on the night of her bachelorette party. She couldn’t really stomach the taste or smell of those particular shots anymore. Instead, she was on her third glass of scotch and even that glass was almost empty. 

“Another glass of scotch,” She ordered softly when the bartender came over. 

“Madam Mayor…” the bartender began. 

“Not the mayor,” Regina interjected. “I’m just a normal person who wants another glass of scotch...and I will fireball you if you don’t get me what I want.” The man gave Regina a nervous look as he filled up her glass with scotch. Regina took the glass without saying a word and began to drink that as well. The bartender gave the woman a look of sympathy. He had seen the Queen drunk before, but this was a different kind of drunk. She just looked sad. He noticed her lack of car keys and just figured that she shouldn't be walking home alone at night in her condition. He pulled out his phone and dialed a number. 

“Hey, this is Al, I think you’d better come down to The Round Table. Regina is here and she’s pretty drunk. I’m just worried about her getting home safely,” The man said over the phone. “Alright, sounds good. I’ll see you soon.” 

About twenty minutes had passed and during that time, Regina managed to down another glass of scotch. The front door of the bar swung open and Regina heard someone walk up to her.  “Listen, I’m sorry. I just needed to get out for a little bit,” She began. 

“Maybe next time, .try doing it a little earlier in the night. It’s nearly one in the morning,” came a voice from behind her. She turned around and was shocked to see Emma behind her. No one had really seen or talked to Emma since Hope’s death. If Regina was being honest, she didn’t look great. Her skin was pale and she had dark circles under her eyes. She was dressed in a similar sweatpants attire that Regina had adorned earlier in the day. 

“Emma...I- why did they call you?” Regina asked. She had assumed if anyone was going to find her, it would have been Robin. 

“All the businesses have my cell phone number because the phone in the sheriff’s station is spotty at best,” Emma replied. “I heard that someone may have had a little too much to drink.” 

“A little may be an understatement,” Regina replied with a hiccup. “But, I’m fine.” 

“You forget. I’ve seen you drunk and I have to say I like crazy, party drunk Regina a lot more than sad drunk Regina,” Emma replied. “Come on, let’s just go.” Regina honestly didn’t have the energy to fight Emma so she got off the barstool and stumbled a bit as she landed on the floor. Emma was quick to grab her side and help the woman out of the bar. 

“I’m really sorry that he called you,” Regina replied honestly as they left. 

“It’s fine. I just want to take you home and go back to bed,” Emma told her. “Just hop in the car and I’ll take you home.” 

“No...please...I-I can’t go home right now,” Regina replied timidly. “Robin’s mad...I just can’t deal with that tonight. I also don’t want to wake the kids. Please...can I just sleep your couch?” 

“You’re not gonna puke this time?” Emma asked. 

“No, I don’t feel bad like I did last time. I honestly just want to go to bed too,” Regina told her. 

“Fine,” Emma agreed. They got in the car and didn’t exchange another word until they made it to Emma’s house. “There’s a blanket under the table. I’ll see you in the morning. I really need to go to bed.” 

“Emma…” Regina called to the blonde woman as she went upstairs. “Thank you. I really appreciate it.” Emma gave her a slight smile before disappearing upstairs. Regina kicked off her shoes and grabbed the blanket that Emma had pointed out and pulled it over herself as she cuddled into the couch. She was not looking forward to talking to Robin in the morning. She knew that he was going to be mad and rightfully so. Regina knew that she shouldn’t have taken off like she did. The headache that was currently setting in was also making her regret drinking that much scotch. She tried to ignore it and eventually drifted off to sleep. It wasn’t until four that her headache really rallied and Regina knew she was going to need some water and aspirin if she was going to make it through the night. She padded quietly into the kitchen to try and get what she needed. Finding a glass of water was no problem, but she couldn’t find the aspirin, which was what she really needed. 

“The aspirin...It’s in the cabinet over the sink,” came Emma’s quiet voice as she padded into the kitchen. 

“Thanks,” Regina replied quietly. “I’m sorry. Did I wake you up?” 

“No. I don’t really sleep much anymore,” Emma replied as she took a seat at the kitchen table. “So, are you going to tell me why you were at a bar by yourself actively trying to kill your liver with scotch?” 

“I-I just needed time to myself and some time to think,” Regina confessed. “ Can I ask how you’ve been since the accident?” 

“Well, not great,” Emma replied. “Every day is hard.” Regina watched as Emma’s eyes filled with tears and she looked away. “I-I just see her little face every time I sleep and it hurts so badly. And I’m so tired because I never sleep anymore. D-does it ever get better?” Emma asked as she wiped the tears from her face. 

“I’m not going to lie,” Regina replied honestly. “When Elijah died, I was in a bad place for a long time. It didn’t help that I was stuck with Leopold and felt like I was trapped in a prison. I also couldn’t talk to anyone about him, so that was hard. But you have Hook and I’m always here if you need to talk. 

“And I appreciate that. It is nice to have someone who gets it,” Emma replied. “Regina...you know that if you’re struggling, you can talk to me as well. Leaving your kids and going drinking isn’t you. You don’t do that. You’re like a super mom. Something is clearly wrong with you. Mom also told me that you quit being the mayor.” 

“Oh...you heard about that,” Regina replied nervously. “I-I just can’t explain it.” 

“Just try. Don’t bottle this stuff up,” Emma replied. “After all these years, I know how you work. I’m not gonna judge you for being vulnerable.” 

“Fine. I think since that accident, I’ve just been trying to find some meaning in my life. I know that my kids should be my priority and they are, but I just feel like something’s missing. Like...I actually died. Emma, I went to Heaven or I think it was Heaven. Daniel was there and then I came back. There has to be a reason that I was brought back...something more than just Robin and the kids. I’m sorry. This doesn’t make any sense. I- I just don’t know…” 

“Regina, this makes total sense,” Emma told her. “You’ve had an eventful year. You got married, tried to get pregnant, and started fostering a new child. You’ve been hospitalized twice this year and Henry is graduating and going off to college. It’s a lot of change. You deserve the right to a little midlife crisis. Also, you’ve been mayor of this town for way longer than anyone else could handle. You deserve a break.” 

“Thanks, Emma,” Regina replied. 

“So, how mad do you think Robin is going to be when you go home tomorrow?” 

“I don’t really want to think about it,” Regina sighed. “He’s going to be so mad and he definitely has a right to be.” 

“Just take it in strides,” Emma told her. “That man loves you and he will forgive you. Just be honest with him.” 

“I will,” Regina replied. “For now, I think both of us should get some sleep.” 

“I-I don’t-” Emma began. 

“Emma, I know that it’s hard, but you need to take care of yourself. Do it for her,” Regina told her and the blonde nodded. After that, both women finally got some sleep. When morning finally came, Regina headed home and opened up the front door quietly. She walked through the hallway and found Robin asleep on the couch in the living room. He began to stir when he heard her footsteps. 

“Hi…” She said timidly. Robin just stared at her with a frown on his face. “I-I’m sorry,” she began. 

“You can not do that to me again,” Robin replied sternly. 

“I know...I-I’m sorry.” 

“You can’t just take off like that and not answer my phone calls,” Robin replied. “Do you know how worried I was? I didn’t sleep all night and I had to put all the kids to bed and lie to them when they asked if you were alright because I honestly didn’t know!” 

“I just needed time to think,” Regina replied softly. 

“You needed time? Regina, it is fine to take time for yourself but you need to communicate with me. Your children need a mother. I need a wife and honestly, this town needs a mayor.” 

“I’m not going back to being the mayor,” Regina snapped.

“I just don’t think that you’re thinking at all. How are we going to pay our bills?” Robin asked. “Emma and Hook are going to come back eventually and I’ll be out of a job. We have 4 kids to support.” 

“I know that. I’ll find something else. I just don’t want to deal with being mayor anymore. Please, just bear with me and be patient. Can’t we just make up?” Regina said. She walked closer to Robin and placed her arms around him. Sex tended to be a defense mechanism for her when it came to fighting with Robin. She knew that she could usually get her way. 

“Can you just stop! I am not having sex with you right now,” Robin yelled. 

“This is ridiculous…” Regina growled. “You’re being ridiculous.” 

“I’m being ridiculous! We’re fighting and you’re trying to seduce me.” 

“You wouldn’t want to be with me even if we weren’t fighting. You’ve made that abundantly clear,” Regina snapped. “I get that my body looks ugly with the scar now but I thought you’d love me regardless. Clearly, I was wrong.” 

“You really think the scar is what this is about?” Robin questioned

“What else would it be about? Clearly you can’t stand to look at me anymore. The scar is the only thing that’s changed.” 

“You were dead, Regina! You actually died. I watched your heart stop. I can’t stand to touch you because I’m terrified that I’m going to lose you again…that you’re going to slip through my fingers. I can’t go through that again,” he whimpered as tears filled his eyes. In that instance, Regina realized just how hard her accident had been for Robin. She had been so caught up in her own feelings that she hadn’t stopped to think about how he was doing. She walked closer to him and intertwined her fingers with his. 

“I’m sorry. I didn’t think about what that was like for you,” Regina replied. “And I know that I’ve been unpredictable. I’m just trying to work through my emotions from the accident. I guess...even though I’m alive, I just haven’t felt like it. I feel like there’s something more out there for me and I just need a little time to find it. But I just want you to know that I am here. I’m okay and I’m not going anywhere. I know my body isn’t what it used to be but-” 

“Stop,” Robin replied cutting her off. “I don’t care about your scar. Regina, you’re beautiful. I will always think you’re beautiful. And...I’m going to be honest. I’m scared knowing that you don’t have a job, but I also trust you. So, I’ll be patient with you.” 

“Thank you, I appreciate that,” Regina replied. “So...are the kids off at school?” 

“Yes and Addy’s at daycare. I was too tired to try and chase her hyper little body around,” Robin replied with a laugh. 

“So what you’re telling me is that we have the house to ourselves?” Regina asked. 

“I suppose we do,” Robin replied. He had a feeling he knew where Regina’s mind was heading. “What do you say I take you upstairs and show you just how beautiful I think you are.” Regina smiled back at her husband and nodded. With one swift motion, Robin swept her up into his arms and took off for the bedroom. This moment between the two of them was long overdue. Things could only move forward from here. They were both alive and that was all that mattered.


	28. Graduation Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Henry's graduation day and Regina finds out som unexpected news.

After 18 years, Regina could barely believe that her baby was about to graduate from high school. It was the last day of school for Henry, Scarlett, and Roland and the morning was in full swing. With four kids, Regina had begun to master the art of getting everybody out the door on time. She was able to pack three lunches flawlessly without even having to think about what to put in them. She often had breakfast on the table before the kids even had an opportunity to ask if it was ready. She had really adjusted to being a stay at home mom fairly quickly. It wasn’t what Regina wanted to do for the rest of her life, but for now, it was at least something to keep her busy. 

“Mama, juice!” Addy demanded from her high chair. 

“Say please,” Regina reminded her. Now that the little girl was two, she had gotten pretty bossy, so they were trying to work on that. 

“Pwease Mama, juice!” The little girl chorused. Regina gave her a smile before grabbing her cup of apple juice from the fridge and handing it to her. She glanced up at the clock and was surprised to see that it was already so late. 

“Henry! Roland! Scarlett! Hurry up! You’ll be late!” She called up the stairs. After hearing her call, Regina heard the sound of footsteps come echoing down the hallways from upstairs. Roland was the first to come into the kitchen. 

“Mama! Do you have our lunches?” he asked. 

“No sweetie, it’s a half day, remember?” Regina reminded him. “You won’t need lunch today.”   
“Oh yeah! Does that mean that we can go to Granny’s for lunch?” 

“I think that can be arranged,” Regina replied with a laugh. 

“Yay! Scarlett! Henry! We’re going to Granny’s for lunch,” Roland yelled up the stairs to his siblings. 

“Sound good to me,” Scarlett replied as she walked downstairs. 

“Where’s Henry?” Regina asked. “He’s never been late to school and he’s not going to start today,” she mumbled as she went to the bottom of the stairs. “Henry! Let’s go!” 

“I’m coming!” Henry called back. “Hey mom, is it okay if I go and hang out with Violet after school? She’s going to help me with my speech for graduation.” 

“I suppose that’d be okay. As long as there’s no funny business between you too,” Regina reminded him. She did not want to walk in on her son and Violet again. 

“Ugh, I told you, mom. We’re just friends now,” Henry replied. “We both decided that with college coming, it’d just be easier to stay friends. I’m going to be in Boston and she’s going to be here. It’d be pretty hard to maintain a relationship.” 

“Well...that’s very adult of both of you,” Regina replied, still a bit shocked at how her baby had grown up in front of her very eyes over the last few years. “Alright, you guys should get going, so you’re not late.” Henry nodded and motioned for Scarlett and Roland to grab their backpacks. 

“Bye Mom!” They called before heading out the door. She watched as the three of them piled into Henry’s car and drove off. As she watched, Regina felt her eyes fill with tears and she brushed them away as they fell down her cheeks. She’d been so emotional lately. The thought of Henry graduating and going off to college was really getting to her. She took a deep breath and pulled herself together before going back into the kitchen and getting Addy the rest of her breakfast. A few minutes later, she heard the front door open. 

“I’m home!” came Robin’s voice. 

“In the kitchen!” Regina called back. Robin walked from the living room into the kitchen and pressed a kiss to Addy’s head before moving towards Regina. “Hi, how was your shift last night?” 

“Nothing too eventful. It’s Storybrooke. It’s pretty slow around here,” he replied. 

“You better take that back. Do not will a new curse or some villain to come to this town,” Regina warned him. After talking with Emma, Robin had been offered a permanent sheriff position. It was a night shift position, so that was proving to be a bit of lifestyle adjustment. However, with Regina not working, they didn’t have much room to be picky.  “Do you want anything for breakfast?” 

“No, I think I’ll just head up to bed,” Robin answered with a yawn. 

“Alright, I’ll see you when you wake up then,” Regina told him before pressing a quick peck to his lips. He gave Regina a quick smile before sleepily lumbering upstairs to go to bed. 

“Mama! I done!” Addy proclaimed. 

“Well alright, little miss,” Regina replied. She grabbed a paper towel and wiped off her daughter’s hands before getting her out of her highchair. 

“Come play!” she said sweetly as she took Regina’s hand and led her into the living room. Addy walked over to her play kitchen and began to pretend to cook. “Hungry Mama?” she asked. 

“Sure, honey,” Regina replied. Fake food sounded manageable but the thought of real food turned her stomach. She had been a bit queasy over the past week. She figured it was just the stress of all the upcoming events that were causing her nausea. This morning, it was particularly bad. She tried to ignore it and push the sensation from her mind but it was just getting stronger. Regina started to take deep breaths, but they weren’t working. Soon enough, Regina knew that if she didn’t get to a toilet quickly, things were not going to be pretty. 

“Mama will be back,” she mumbled quickly before standing up from the couch and running to the hall bathroom. She threw herself over the toilet and emptied the contents of her stomach into it.  When she was finished, Regina laid her head against the cool porcelain rim of the toilet. She hoped this wasn’t a stomach bug. She didn’t have time to be laid up in bed sick. Henry’s graduation was tomorrow and she would not be missing it. When she felt well enough, Regina stood up from the ground and washed her mouth out with water from the sink. “I’m not sick,” she muttered to herself. “I’m fine.” That was the mantra she would keep repeating to herself until she believed it...and most importantly until her stomach believed it. 

Around noon, Regina was feeling a bit better, so she got Addy ready and went to pick up the older kids from school. Roland was the first one out of the school. “Mama!” he exclaimed as he ran over to her and Addy. “It’s summer now!” 

“It sure is,” Regina replied. 

“Can we go to Granny’s now?” Roland asked. 

“Well, I think it’s only polite that we wait for your sister.” 

“Fine,” Roland pouted. “Wait! Can we get ice cream? It is the end of the year!” 

“We’ll see,” Regina told him with a smile. Scarlett came out next and smiled widely as she walked over to them. 

“Hi, sweetheart. Did you have a good day?” 

“Yup,” Scarlett replied. “But I’m glad it’s summer now.” Suddenly, Regina heard her cell phone go off and grabbed it from her pocket. She groaned when she saw it was a text message from Rumple. It said, “If you have time, I have a graduation present for Henry in my shop.” 

“What is it, Mama?” Roland asked. 

“We have to make a pitstop at Mr. Gold’s shop. It’ll be quick. I promise,” Regina told them. She grabbed Roland’s hand and then the four of them made their way down the street to Mr. Gold’s shop. The familiar sound of the bells on the door echoed through the shop, alerting Rumple that they were there. 

“Well if it isn’t the Locksley clan…” Rumple said with a smirk. 

“Hi, Mr. Gold!” Roland chorused. “I like your shop!” 

“Well, thank you, lad,” Rumple replied. “I have Henry’s present in the back if you’d like to come and get it.” 

“Sure,” Regina replied. “Scarlett, are you coming?” she asked, pulling the little girl from her thoughts as she stared at the many objects in the store. 

“I-Can I look around? I’ve never been here before. There are so many cool things.” 

“You can look, but don’t touch anything, alright?” Regina warned as she, Addy, and Roland disappeared into the back of the shop. Once alone, Scarlett began to walk around. She was fascinated by all the cool objects around her. As she was walking, she saw something glowing from the corner of her eye. She turned to it and saw that is a clear crystal ball. Its energy was strong. It was as if Scarlett could feel it calling to her from inside her body. She walked towards it slowly and the glow of the crystal ball grew brighter and brighter. Scarlett tentatively reached out towards it. When her finger touched the glass, a spark of electricity shot through her body and scared Scarlett so badly that she jumped and knocked the crystal ball onto the floor, which made the glowing stop.

“Scarlett? Are you alright?” Regina asked in a panicked voice as she came in from the back room. 

“I-I’m okay,” Scarlett said. “Mr. Gold, I am so sorry. I dropped this,” she added quietly as she picked up the crystal ball from the floor. 

“I told you not to touch anything,” Regina scolded in a firm voice. 

“Regina, it’s quite alright,” Mr. Gold replied. “It’s not broken. No harm done. Accidents happen.” 

“Alright, well we better be going,” Regina said. “Come on kids, Granny’s is waiting for us.” 

“Goodbye, have a good lunch,” Mr. Gold called as watched Regina and the kids leave his shop. When they were gone, Rumple looked down at the crystal ball in his hands and all he could do was smirk. 

Later that night, Regina put Roland and Addy to bed and made sure that Scarlett was okay too before going to check on her eldest son. She noticed that his light was still on and walked over and knocked softly. “Getting pretty late. Don’t you think it’s time to go to bed? You have a big day tomorrow.”

“I’m just going over my speech,” Henry muttered nervously. “I just don’t want to mess it up.” 

“I’m sure that you’ll be great, sweetheart,” Regina said as she walked in and took a seat on the side of Henry’s bed. She could tell by her son’s demeanor that he was stressed and nervous. “Alright, spill. What’s going on in that head of yours?” she asked. “I can tell something is bothering you.” 

“It’s just...i don’t know,” Henry muttered with a sigh. “I’m wondering if I made the right decision...about going to Boston. Maybe I should have just stayed at Storybrooke College like the rest of my class.” 

“I thought you were excited about Boston?” Regina said. 

“I was...I just, I won’t know anyone,” Henry said with a sigh. “And I feel like I can’t be myself. Other kids are going to be talking about their family vacations to like Mexico and Italy and I don’t have any experiences like that. I can’t exactly tell people about the time that I was kidnapped to Neverland by Peter Pan or about our time in the Underworld. At least in Storybrooke, I could just be myself…” 

“Henry.... what I think you’re feeling is just normal jitters,” Regina told him. “Everyone gets nervous before they head off to college. And, yes, it’ll be difficult not being able to talk much about home, but I know that you’ll still make friends because you are an amazing kid. Whether you like it or not, you’re different from the rest of the kids in Storybrooke. You have the choice to leave and they don’t. I really think that you’d be doing yourself a disservice by staying here and going to Storybrooke College. You have so much to offer the world, Henry. People outside of our little town deserve to read your stories and know what you have to say.” 

“You have to say stuff like that. You’re my mom,” Henry answered with a roll of his eyes. 

“Not true,” Regina replied. “I don’t sugar coat anything. I always mean what I say and I’m saying it right now that you, Henry Mills, are destined for greatness.” 

“Whatever you say,” he laughed. “I think I better go to bed now,” he added as he crawled under his covers

“Alright sweetheart,” Regina said as she stood up and tucked him in. 

“Mom,” he groaned. “I’m 18 and graduating from high school. I don’t need to be tucked in anymore. I’m not a baby,” 

“You’ll always be my baby,” Regina replied as she pressed a kiss to his forehead. “I love you. Get some sleep. I’ll see you in the morning.” 

“I love you too, mom,” Henry replied before turning on his side and burrowing under his blankets. Regina gave her son one last longing look. He was getting so big. She remembered when she bought him his bed. He was three years old and looked so tiny lying under his fluffy down comforter. Now, he barely fit. His feet hung off the edge of the bed. She just couldn’t believe that tomorrow she’d get to see her baby walk across the stage and get his high school diploma. It felt unreal. Regina didn’t know how she was going to make it through the day emotionally. She was a mess these days, which was strange because she had never been a terribly emotional person. Nevertheless, Regina tried to push her emotions from her mind and go to bed. Tomorrow was going to be a long day and everyone, including her, needed their rest. 

Morning came quickly and before they knew it, it was time for the ceremony to begin. Practically everyone was there to see Henry’s big moment. Regina, Robin, and the kids were there in addition to Snow and Charming along with baby Neal. Even Emma and Hook made it to the ceremony. Neither one of them had really gone to many public events since the baby’s passing but this event was very important to Henry so it wasn’t surprising that they made it a point to attend. 

“Good Morning, ladies and gentlemen,” Principal Green said into the microphone as he tried to quiet the crowd. “We are here today to celebrate the wonderful academic achievements of your children. At this time, I’d like to invite this year's class speaker to come to the podium and share some wise words for his fellow classmates. It is my distinct pleasure to welcome Henry Mills to the podium,” Everyone clapped as Henry walked from his seat on the stage to the podium. 

“Good morning everyone,” Henry began. “First off, I want to say congratulations to my fellow classmates. We did it, everyone! I’m going to be honest, the thought of graduating and leaving Storybrooke is a thought that terrifies me. For years, we’ve all been together, living in this special town that constantly challenges us and pushes us to be the people we long to be. And now, we have a chance to make a change in or lives and break from our familiar molds. My mom, Emma, always says ‘that if you want to change things, you’re going to have to go out there and change them for yourselves’ which is what I encourage all of you to do. Go out there and shake up our community. Change it for the better. We are the next generation of Storybrooke and it is our job to shape it into the community that we want it to be. And yes, change is scary but someone really wise once told me ‘that the only way to overcome fear is to face it,” Henry paused and looked at Regina in the audience, who was beaming from ear to ear. “So, as we all move forward, I hope that we all face our fears and overcome them to become stronger people in the future. Being from a land full of fairy tales, we’re told that in order to be happy, we have to chase that elusive happy ending that everyone is always talking about. However, sometimes our happy endings may not be what we expect. Ultimately, that is what makes it so special when you find it. For now, we all have a new shot at a happy beginning with endless possibilities. So, graduating class of Storybrooke High, congratulations on starting your happy beginning and on your journey, I hope you find your happy ending. Thank you,” Henry said to conclude his speech. The audience clapped and everyone there for Henry stood up to give him a standing ovation. 

Before they knew it, it was time to hand out the diplomas. Henry was in the middle so they watched about ten people get their diplomas and then it was Henry’s turn. “Receiving his diploma next is Henry Daniel Mills,” Principal Green said. With a huge smile on his face, Henry walked from one side of the stage and met Principal Green in the middle. He shook the man’s hand and took his diploma before looking out into the audience at his family so they could snap some pictures. Out in the audience, both Regina and Emma were both crying silently. They didn’t need to talk to know what the other one was thinking. They had truly raised him well. Henry was all grown up. 

After the ceremony, everybody went to Granny’s to celebrate. People were laughing and joking with one another as they dug into Granny’s amazing food. Everyone seemed to be having a great time, except for Regina who was feeling a bit nauseous once again. The feeling had come on strongly and the sickening smell of Granny’s onion rings weren’t helping her. From across the room, Emma could tell something was up with Regina. The poor woman looked almost green. She watched as Regina suddenly stood up from the table, clapped a hand over her mouth and disappeared to the bathroom. Worried about the woman, Emma stood up and walked to the bathroom to check on her. Once inside, she heard Regina getting sick in one of the stalls. Emma winced at the noises the woman was making. A few minutes passed and Emma heard the toilet flush and then Regina emerged from the stall. 

“You okay?” Emma asked. Not knowing anyone was in the bathroom with her, Regina jumped at the blonde's question and clutched her chest. 

“Jesus, you scared me,” Regina said softly, her voice hoarse from throwing up. “I’m fine,” she added as she went to the sink and used the water to wash her mouth out. 

“How long have you been sick?” Emma asked. 

“A little over a week,” Regina confessed. “I think it’s a stomach bug. I just can’t seem to shake it.” 

“Are you sure that’s all it is?” Regina looked over at the blonde with a curious look upon her face. 

“What are you talking about? Of course, it’s just a bug,” she replied. 

“Regina,” Emma said with a sigh. “You’re throwing up. It’s been going on for a week now. Also, your boobs look enormous right now,” 

“Emma!” Regina exclaimed as she covered her chest.

“When was the last time you had your period?” Emma asked. Regina stopped for a moment. It had been a while since her last period. However, she hadn’t really been keeping track of them because her body had made it very clear to her that she would not be getting pregnant any time soon.

“That doesn’t matter,” Regina replied. 

“Don’t you think it’s possible? All the signs are there,” Emma told her. 

“I can’t get pregnant, Emma,” Regina said firmly. “I tried everything before to get pregnant and it didn’t work. I’m barren. It’s not possible for me to be pregnant.” 

“There’s only one way to know for sure,” Emma replied. “Stay here.” Before Regina could say a word, Emma disappeared from the bathroom. Regina thought for a moment. She couldn’t be pregnant? Could she? She was strangely emotional, very tired and nauseous. Also, Emma was right. Her breasts did feel a bit bigger and pretty sore now that she thought about it.  “Okay, I got it,” Emma announced when she got back. She handed over a pregnancy test to Regina. 

“Where did you get a pregnancy test?” Regina asked. 

“Ruby has an emergency stash,” Emma replied simply. 

“You know what...I don’t want to know why she has that and why you know where it is.” Regina looked at the box and let out a nervous breath before disappearing into the stall. She sat down on the toilet and peed onto the pregnancy test. When she was finished, she emerged from the stall and set the test on the counter so she could wash her hands. 

“And now...we wait,” Emma said. “How are you feeling?” 

“It’s not going to be positive. It can’t be,” Regina told her as she nervously rubbed her hands together. “It’s not possible…” Three minutes passed in silence. When it was time, Regina tentatively picked up the test. Her heart began to beat quickly in her chest and Emma could see a change in her facial expression. 

“Well, what does it say?” Emma asked. 

“I-It’s positive. There are two blue lines,” Regina said. “I’m pregnant...” 


	29. Confirmation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regina heads to the doctor to get some answers about her miracle pregnancy with Emma's help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I haven't updated in forever! I promise I am still working on this story. I'm just working full time and have no life anymore!

“Morning sleepyhead,” came Robin’s soft voice through Regina’s sleepy haze. Slowly her eyes fluttered open and Regina winced as the bright sunlight found its way into her eyes. 

“It's early,” she grunted before flipping over onto her other side away from him. 

“I know but I work a dayshift today and I wanted to say goodbye to my beautiful wife,” Robin whispered as she ran his fingers through her dark brown hair. Regina sighed and turned back over to face him. 

“Fine, have a good day,” Regina replied, her voice still hoarse from sleep. She leaned up slightly and pressed a quick peck to Robin’s lips. 

“I love you,” Robin called as he left the room

“I love you too,” Regina echoed back. She listened to Robin’s footsteps as he made his way downstairs. She could hear the jingling of his keys as he picked them up and then the slamming of the front door after he left. She had to admit. It was nice getting to sleep next to Robin every night. It was also nice that he left so early in the morning because he was conveniently gone before Regina’s newly pregnant body decided to torture her every morning. Since she had found out two weeks ago that she was pregnant at Granny’s, Regina had been trying to ignore the whole situation. She didn’t know how to feel. She had tried so hard in the past to get pregnant and wanted to be happy. However, now that she actually was pregnant, all she felt was terrified. She didn’t think she could bear losing another baby the way that she had lost Elijah. Regina knew that she couldn’t tell Robin until she figured out her own feelings 

To top it all off, she had been having some of the worst morning sickness she had ever had. As if on cue, Regina felt her mouth begin to water and her stomach began to cramp. She didn’t have to think twice before springing up out of bed and sprinting to the bathroom where she promptly emptied the contents of her stomach into the toilet. At this point, the morning sickness wasn’t a surprise. It was a daily occurrence. Sometimes she got sick multiple times a day. It was truly awful. 

When she was finished, Regina stood up from the bathroom floor and walked over to the sink to brush her teeth. Regardless of how awful she felt, Regina knew she had to get herself ready. Today, she had plans to meet Emma for breakfast. Normally, she wouldn’t involve the blonde so much in her private life, but Emma was the only person who knew she was pregnant and Regina honestly needed someone to help her through this whole experience. Also, if anyone knew how she felt in regards to losing a baby, it was Emma. 

Regina had arranged for Henry to babysit the three younger kids for a good part of the morning. Though he wasn’t happy about it, he eventually agreed. Knowing the kids were taken care of, Regina got herself ready and headed downstairs. She grabbed her purse before leaving the house through the front door. Granny’s wasn’t far, so Regina decided to just walk. It was June so she knew the afternoon would be quite warm. However, the morning still felt brisk and refreshing and she could use a little fresh air.

When she finally got to Granny’s, Regina saw that Emma was already inside and waiting for her at a booth in the corner of the restaurant. She opened the door and the familiar sound of the bells on the door echoed through the room. Regina walked over to the booth where Emma was and took a seat. 

“Thanks for meeting me,” Regina said softly as she sat down 

“No problem,” Emma replied. “You know I’m always up for a good omelet and plate of bacon from Granny’s.” 

“What can I get for you guys?” Ruby asked as she approached their table. 

“I’ll have the three cheese omelet and a side of bacon,” Emma replied. “Also a cup of black of coffee.” 

“Sounds good,” Ruby replied. “Do you want your usual Regina? Apple pancakes with extra syrup and black coffee.” 

“I-uhh-” Regina stuttered as her stomach turned at the thought of that meal. “You know I think I’ll just have a glass of water and some toast with butter on it. I’m not very hungry today.” 

“Alright… That’ll be right up for both of you,” she replied before shooting Regina one last look of confusion. 

“Keep eating like that and the whole town’s going to know,” Emma said in a whisper. 

“I can’t help it. It’s all that I can keep down,” Regina replied nervously. “I was never this sick with Elijah.” 

“I wasn’t bad with Henry but with Hope, I threw up every morning,” Emma replied, her voice trailing off a bit. Regina could see that Emma was still hurting after losing Hope but it was clear that she was starting to be able to move on. 

“Do you have any tips on stopping the nausea?” Regina asked. 

“Well...my first tip would involve telling your husband that your pregnant so you don’t have to keep hiding all of your symptoms,” Emma replied with a smirk. 

“I can’t tell him right now…” 

“Why not?” 

“I-I’m just not ready,” Regina countered. 

“Regina, it’s been two weeks already. Have you done anything other than just ignore that this is happening?” Emma asked. 

“I made an appointment…” 

“Good. For when?” Emma asked. 

“Ummm…today,” Regina replied. “About that...I was kind of wondering...will you please go with me? I-I know I have to go but I don’t want to go alone. Please, Emma.” 

Emma thought about it for a moment, before sighing and finally agreeing. “Fine, but I’m eating my omelet first!” she joked. The two women ate their breakfast and miraculously, Regina was able to keep it down and then, they were off to the doctors.

Once there, Regina checked in at the front desk and then took a seat next to Emma in the waiting room. They sat in silence. The only sound that could be heard was the rustling of Regina’s legs as she nervously bounced them up and down. Emma looked over and could see that Regina was really nervous. She placed her hand softly on Regina’s knee. 

“It’s going to be okay,” Emma told her. Regina bit her bottom lip, nodded and turned her head away from Emma. 

“Regina Locksley,” the nurse called as she opened up the door to the exam rooms. 

“That’s me,” Regina replied as she stood up. Emma followed closely behind her as they went back to the exam room. 

“Alright Mrs. Locksley, can you tell me why you’re here today?” The nurse asked. 

“I-I think I’m pregnant,” Regina replied. 

“Well, congratulations!” The girl exclaimed. Her perky attitude rivaled Snow’s and it was a little too much for both Emma and Regina. “Of course, you’ll want to know for sure, so we’ll do some blood work and then I’ll have Dr. Whale come in and do an ultrasound.” 

“Bloodwork?” Regina questioned nervously. “Can I just pee on something and have you tell me?” she asked. 

“Those tests can be inaccurate,” the nurse replied. “The bloodwork is the most accurate way of telling if you’re pregnant or not. Don’t worry. It’s only a little poke. I just have to go gather some supplies and I’ll be right back.” 

After the nurse left the room, Emma looked over at Regina and smirked. “What?” Regina asked sharply. 

“You know I wouldn’t have pegged the Evil Queen for being afraid of needles,” Emma replied.

“You are entirely unhelpful…” Regina retorted. 

“No, it’s fine. I mean, a lot of people don’t like needles. I just didn’t think you were one of them,” Emma replied. 

“I asked your here for support, not to make fun of me,” Regina snapped. 

“Relax, Regina, I’m kidding,” Emma replied. “Geez those pregnancy hormones.” she laughed which earned Emma another death glare from Regina. Luckily for Emma, the nurse returned with the supplies for the bloodwork. 

“Alrighty! Let’s get started,” the nurse replied. She tied a bright orange tourniquet around Regina’s arm and then started looking for a good vein. “Geez, your veins are not working with me here today,” the girl sighed. Regina felt her heart begin to beat faster. “Here’s one!” she announced. “This will just feel cold. I’m just cleaning the area.” After a few seconds, the nurse pulled the top off of the needle right in front of Regina’s face. “Alright, little prick, just hold still for me.” Before Regina could react, the girl plunged the needle into her arm.

“Oww!” Regina yelped. 

“Almost done,” the girl replied as she quickly switched the blood tubes. “Okay, all finished,” she announced as she retracted the needle and applied a layer of gauze over the puncture wound. “I hope that wasn’t too bad. I’ll send this off to the lab and we’ll get your results in a little bit. Anything I can get you in the meantime?” 

“No, I’m fine,” Regina replied softly. The nurse nodded and left the room, leaving Regina and Emma by themselves. 

“See that wasn’t so bad…” Emma said with a smirk. 

“Oh, shut up, Swan,” Regina retorted. 

“There's the Regina I know and sometimes like. Come on, Regina, I’m just trying to lighten the mood,” Emma tried. She could see that Regina was still very much in her head. “Hey...it’s gonna be okay.” 

“I hope so…” Regina replied before getting quiet once again. It took about twenty minutes for Regina’s lab results to come back. Whale came into the exam room with a file in his hand. 

“Alright Regina, your lab work confirms it. You’re pregnant,” He said. “Congratulations. What do you say we take a look at this little one,” Whale added as he dragged the ultrasound machine over to the exam table. Regina wasn’t shocked. She had all the symptoms and the pregnancy test did say positive. However, to hear it out loud for the first time was...weird.  She laid back on the exam table and lifted up her shirt. “Oh, this ultrasound doesn’t work on your stomach.” 

“Where does it go then?” Regina asked. Whale pointed down and averted his eyes towards Regina’s skirt. “Oh...I-I don’t know if I'm comfortable with that. Is there anyone other than...you?” 

“Hurtful,” Whale replied with his hand on his chest. “Unfortunately, I’m the only one qualified to deliver babies in this hospital and use the ultrasound machine. In my defense, you did make the town and only select one doctor.” 

“Okay fine,” Regina amended. She discreetly slipped her underwear off from under her skirt. And covered herself with the sheet lying close by. Emma moved closer to Regina’s head because she did not want to see that area of the woman. Whale applied lubricant to the ultrasound probe before using it on Regina. 

“Alright, let’s see what we can see here.” He moved the probe around until a little black oval appeared. 

“Is-is that it?” Regina asked. 

“Yup! That’s your baby,” Whale replied. “This is amniotic sac and this little blob here is your baby.” He used the dials on the ultrasound to take some measurements. “Everything looks like it’s measuring to the right size. You look about eight weeks, so you’re due sometime in January. And now, we get to hear the heartbeat,” Whale pressed a few buttons and then the most beautiful sound Regina had ever heard echoed through the exam room. It went thump thump. thump thump. “There you go. That’s your baby,” Regina felt her eyes fill with tears as she stared at the screen. This was really happening. This was her and Robin’s baby. She was hearing his or her heartbeat. “Regina, are you okay?” Whale asked. 

“Yes, I-I’m perfect. I’m so happy,” Regina replied as she wiped the tears from her cheeks. 

After the ultrasound was over, Whale printed out a few pictures so that Regina could take them with her and sent her and Emma on their way. “Can you believe it?” Emma asked. “It’s finally happening. You’re gonna have a baby.”

“For the first time, I-I feel like I’m finally happy about this possibility,” Regina replied.. “And Emma, seriously, thank you so much for coming with me. I know this can’t be easy after what you’ve just gone through.” 

“You were there for me when I needed you so I’m going to be there for you,” Emma told her. “But I better be this kid’s godmother when it’s born.” 

“We’ll see,” Regina teased. “Wow...we sure have come a long way, haven’t we Miss Swan?” 

“We sure have Madam Mayor,” Emma agreed. “Now, time for the most important question.” Regina looked at her with a blank stare for a second. “Are you going to finally tell Robin?” 

“Yes,” Regina replied. “I’m going to tell him when he gets home tonight” 

“Good! Come on! I’ll give you a ride home,” Emma said. She and Emma climbed into the bug and headed down the street to the Mayoral Mansion. 

“I thought you said Robin was working,” Emma said as they got closer. 

“He is,” Regina replied. “Why?” she asked before looking up. In the driveway was Robin’s sheriff cruiser. Suddenly, she had a bad feeling in her stomach. Something was wrong. Something was definitely wrong. Emma parked the car and they both rushed into the house. Robin was there with Hook, Snow, David and a very panicked looking Henry. 

“Mom! Mom!  Why didn’t either of you answer your phones?” Henry asked. 

“I- sorry, it was on silent,” Regina replied. “What’s going on?” She looked to all three adults and finally, Snow spoke. 

“Scarlett’s missing.” 


	30. The Crystal Ball

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Scarlett goes off in search of answers about these strange dreams that she's been having since her encounter with a crystal ball in Mr. Gold's shop.

_Scarlett didn’t know exactly where she was. All that she could tell was that it was the most beautiful place that she had ever seen. She was waist-deep in a meadow full of white and yellow narcissus flowers.  Scarlett walked through the fields, running her fingers over the stems of the flowers. She stopped for a moment and picked a few flowers before holding them up to her nose and taking a big whiff. She smiled, intoxicated by the sweet smell of the golden flowers in her hand.  “Scarlett!” Came a voice from behind her. Scarlett turned around and smiled when she saw who was calling her name. In front of her was a beautiful red-headed woman with forest green eyes and a warm, friendly smile. “There you are, sweetheart!” the woman called. Though Scarlett couldn’t remember the woman’s name, she felt an overwhelming sense of safety come over her. Without a second thought, Scarlett ran over to the woman and grabbed a hold of her hand. They walked through the meadow and everything seemed peaceful until suddenly the sky grew dark. Cracks of thunder echoed through the meadow and lightning streaked its way across the sky. The wind began to howl and before she knew it, Scarlett felt herself being pulled away from the woman. “Hold on!” the woman yelled. Scarlett tried with all her might to stay connected with the other woman but she felt her fingers slipping. Suddenly, Scarlett felt her fingers disconnect from the other woman’s hand and she was falling down further and further until she finally crashed._

 

Scarlett bolted upright in her bed and clutched at her chest, heavy breaths making their way out of her tiny body. This wasn’t the first time that she had been woken up in such a manner. Nightmares had been plaguing her for weeks now since she touched that crystal ball in Mr. Gold’s shop. The woman in her dreams was always the same. Though she couldn’t name her, Scarlett couldn’t shake the feeling that she was someone that she had met, not just some woman that her subconscious made up. Feeling as though she couldn’t take it any longer, Scarlett decided to go back to Mr. Gold’s shop and ask him about the crystal ball and all of its powers. If she knew one thing for sure it was that there was a strong connection between herself and that crystal ball and she needed to know more about it. 

Scarlett got out of bed and threw on a pair of jeans and a green v-neck. Then, she grabbed her trusty pair of black converse and slipped them onto her feet. She tiptoed downstairs and looked around. She didn’t see Regina or Robin anywhere so she decided to sneak out of the house. 

“Where are you going?” came a voice from behind her. Scarlett turned around and saw Henry standing there

“I-uh- I have plans to go and work on a project with my friend, Sara from school,” she lied. “Regina said it was okay.” 

“Okay...as long as mom said it was okay,” Henry told her. “Do you have your phone?” he asked. 

“Yup, it’s in my pocket,” she replied. 

“Alright,” Henry told her. “Be careful, okay.” 

“I will!” Scarlett replied quickly as she practically sprinted towards the front door. Once outside, Scarlett started walking in the direction of Mr. Gold’s shop. She couldn’t help but feel nervous about what she was going to find out. Scarlett felt like butterflies were currently occupying her stomach. When she got to Mr. Gold’s shop, she peered in through the window and then tentatively opened the front door. The bells on the door rang throughout the store and Mr. Gold appeared a few seconds later. 

“Miss Scarlett...what can I do for you?” he asked. 

“I-I have some questions that I’m wondering if you can answer for me,” Scarlett replied quietly. 

“Those questions wouldn’t have to do with this, would they?” Mr. Gold asked as he walked across the room and picked up the crystal ball in his hand. 

“How did you know?” 

“I had a feeling the last time that you were in my shop,” he replied. “So why don’t you take a seat and tell me what’s been going on?” Scarlett followed behind him and took a seat on the couch next to Mr. Gold. 

“Since I touched that crystal ball last time, I’ve been having these strange dreams,” she confessed. “They’re always the same. There’s this woman with red hair and green eyes that I-I feel like I know, but I don’t know where I would have met her. I guess I just don’t understand how this works.” 

“Well, typically, a crystal ball is simply a vessel that those with magic can use to see the future,” Mr. Gold explained. 

“So, I haven’t met this woman yet?” Scarlett asked. 

“That’s a possibility,” he replied. “However, there is another explanation. I’ve only heard of a few being able to do this but it is possible. Some crystal balls can be enchanted to house memories from the past. When this happens, they are enchanted for a specific person.” 

“So, you think that this crystal ball might be enchanted for...me?” 

“It is possible. There’s only one way to find out,” Mr. Gold stood up and grabbed a tiny wooden box and placed the crystal ball inside before handing it to Scarlett. 

“What do I do with it?” 

“Take it to a private place and try to relax. You’ll know then if this crystal ball was intended for you to find,” he explained. 

“I-I don’t have any money,” Scarlett stuttered. 

“I’d be wrong of me to charge someone for something that was intended for them,” Mr. Gold replied. “Now go on, dearie.” 

“Thank you Mr. Gold!” she exclaimed as she took the box and left the store. Once outside, Scarlett knew exactly where to go. She started running as fast as her little legs could carry her off into the woods. About a mile outside of town, Scarlett found her way to a meadow that had long been a safe haven for her. During her time at the orphanage, Scarlett quickly realized that she needed a safe place to get away to. One night, Scarlett’s emotions just got too much for her and she decided to run away.  While running away, she came across this old, forgotten treehouse nestled among the branches of an old oak tree and decided it would be a good place to cool off. Ever since then, whenever Scarlett needed to get away, she went to this treehouse. No one, not even her new family, knew about the treehouse. It was her special, private spot, which made it the perfect spot to investigate her strange connection with the crystal ball. When she got there, Scarlett carefully climbed up the ladder into the treehouse and took a seat in the middle of the floor. She set the wooden box down in front of her and opened the lid. Scarlett hesitated, her hand hovering over the crystal ball. Just the thought of what this ball could show her was terrifying but exciting at the same time. She took one last deep breath before reaching down and picking up the crystal ball in her hands. Instantly, she could feel the magic rushing through her veins. Her vision grew hazy and she was thrown back in time to reveal her memories from the past. 

 

_* Flashback*_

_*Setting: Village in the Enchanted Forest_

 

  _“Oh Persephone, she’s beautiful,”_

_“I knew never that I could love someone this much,” Persephone replied as she stared down at the beautiful baby girl in her arms. “But mother, how are we going to make this work? I have to return to the underworld in a few weeks. I don’t think I can bear to leave her, but Hades can’t know that she exists. He’ll use her for his own gain. I just know it.”_

_“We’ve spoken about this dear. I will take care of the baby and when spring returns you’ll be able to join us. I know that it’s not a perfect solution but it’s what we must do to keep her safe,” Persephone’s mother, Demeter answered._

_“But how can I truly be her mother when I’m only around for part of the year?” Persephone asked, tears running down her cheeks. “All I want is to hold her and keep her safe for the rest of my days.”_

_“I know that this is hard, my love, but she will be so worth it,” Demeter told her daughter. “For now, just focus on this precious time with her. What are you going to name her?” Persephone thought for a moment and stared down at the beautiful little girl in her arms._

_“Scarlett…her name is Scarlett,” Persephone replied._

 

_*Next Memory_

_“Alright Scarlett, just hold on, Mama’s coming,” Demeter cooed as she bounced the squirmy two-year-old in her arms. They waited in the same spot they did every year on the first day of spring. At the end of the path was a cave that every spring, Persephone would emerge from. They stayed a far enough distance away so that Hades, should he try and peek at the human world,  wouldn’t see Scarlett._

_“Mama! Mama!” The little girl cooed._

_“She’s coming. You just have to be patient,” Demeter replied. Suddenly, a figure began to emerge from the cave. Persephone ran towards her mother and instantly took Scarlett into her arms and kissed her cheeks._

_“My goodness, you’ve gotten so big! I’ve missed you so much.”_

_“Mama home!” Little Scarlett chorused._

_“Yes, my love, Mama’s home,” Persephone told her. With Scarlett in her arms, Persephone joined hands with her mother and walked the short distance back to their village._

 

_*Next Memory_

_“Mama, where are we going?” four year old, Scarlett asked, her fingers intertwined with her mother's._

_“I wanted to have a picnic just the two of us in my favorite meadow,” Persephone replied. “I used to play here when I was a little girl and it’s one of my favorite places.” She laid out a light blue blanket and set the picnic basket down. Inside were tiny peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, fruit and lemonade for the two of them to share. “Are they good?” Persephone asked as Scarlett dug into the sandwiches._

_“They’re delicious, Mama!” Scarlett replied._

_“So...sweetheart, you know that in a few days, winter is beginning, right?”_

_“That means you have to leave…” Scarlett said, a frown appearing on her face._

_“It does, little one.”_

_“But I could come with you!” Scarlett pleaded as she got up and nestled into her mother’s side._

_“I would love nothing more than to have you by my side, sweetheart, but you can’t come.”_

_“Why not?” Scarlett demanded, her little foot-stomping against the ground._

_“Love, take a breath for me,” Persephone replied softly, seeing her daughter was getting upset. “Do you remember that Mama told you that when she was little, she made a mistake?” Scarlett nodded. “I did something that I wasn’t supposed to and because of that, I have to go away for part of the year. However, you, my love, are pure and you haven’t done anything wrong. So, as much as I would love to bring you with me, you do not deserve to be punished. You get to stay with Grandma during the wintertime, drink hot chocolate and play in the snow. Then, when the snow melts away and the flowers begin to bloom, Mama will be all done with her punishment and I will come back for you. Just know that no matter where we are, together or apart, my heart is always yours and I love you so much.”_

_“I love you too, Mama,” Scarlett said softly as she threw herself into her mother’s arms._

_“What do you say we play a game?” Persephone suggested. “Maybe hide and seek?”_

_“Can I hide first?” Scarlett asked joyfully._

_“Of course, now, you better go fast. I’m going to start counting,” Persephone started to count and Scarlett ran off into the forest. She looked around for a place to hide. There were so many trees, but they didn’t seem like the best hiding spots. Suddenly, she spotted a cave and thought that it’d be a great place to hide. Surely, her Mama would never find her there. Scarlett walked up to the cave and tried to go inside. However, there felt like there was a barrier blocking her path. Scarlett held both of her hands up to the cave's entrance and felt a strange sensation come over her. It felt like bolts of energy were running through her entire body and then, suddenly, the barrier vanished and Scarlett fell into the entrance of the cave. With little giggles, Scarlett hid in the corner of the cave and waited for her mother to come and find her. She had only been hiding there for a little while when she heard footsteps coming from behind her. She turned around and was shocked to see a man approaching her from behind. Scarlett had never seen him. before. He was wearing a suit and strangely, his hair looked like a blue fire._

_“Well, hello there,” the man said as he approached the little girl. “What are you doing in my cave?”_

_“I-I’m playing hide and seek with my Mama. I’m sorry, I can leave,” Scarlett replied, her little heart beating fast as she trembled with fear._

_“No, no, child, it’s alright. You don’t have to be frightened. I assure you, nothing bad will happen to you while you’re with me,” The man told her. “If you just take my hand, I can show you some amazing things.”_

_“W-what kind of things?” Scarlett asked, his promise piquing her interest._

_“Why, my dear, I can show you everything that you’ve ever desired,” Scarlett was about to take the man’s hand when she heard her mother’s voice._

_“Scarlett! Get away from him! Now!” The little girl gave the man one last look before bolting from the cave and back into her mother’s arms. “Are you okay? What did he do to you?” she asked as she nestled the little girl in her arms._

_“You’ve been hiding something from me, haven’t you Persephone?” the man called._

_“You stay away from her, Hades!” Persephone growled. “I will not let you take her as you did with me. What are you even doing up in the cave? We agreed that you were never to come up here.”_

_“One, my dear, you do not control me,” Hades snapped. “Two, this is my world and when someone breaks through my barrier, it is my job to find out who is creeping into my kingdom.”_

_“She’s only a child, Hades,” Persephone told him. “She didn’t know any better.”_

_“That’s the whole point. She doesn’t know any better and because of that she is a threat to my power,” Hades retorted. “And I simply can't have a threat to my power. Cherish your next few days with your - or should I say our daughter, because they will be the last days that you spend together,” Suddenly, Hades disappeared in a cloud of blue smoke._

_“Who was that Mama?” Scarlett asked._

_“Not now, we need to get away from here,” Persephone said as she grabbed Scarlett’s hand and pulled her further and further from the cave._

 

_*Next memory_

 

_“What am I going to do mother?” Persephone sobbed. “He’s going to take her and hurt her. I don’t know what to do!”_

_“We have to get her away from here,” Demeter replied._

_“There is nowhere to go. You know that we have been trapped in this land for twenty-eight years since that curse swept through. We were lucky enough to have you protect all of us, but since then, time has stood still. And your magic has not returned since,” Persephone cried._

_“We will figure something out. I will not let that man get his hands on my granddaughter,” Demeter told her daughter. A few days passed and it was time for Persephone to return to the underworld. She knelt in front of her daughter, tears rushing down her face. They had not come up with a solution to save Scarlett._

_“Mama please, don’t go!” Scarlett sobbed._

_“I have to baby. You have to stay with Grandma and do everything that she says. She will keep you safe. Promise me.”_

_“I promise.” Persephone pulled her daughter into a hug and pressed a kiss to her forehead. She looked up at the sky and saw that it was almost time for the sun to rise, which meant it was time for her to return to her prison in the underworld. “I wish there was some other way,” Persephone cried as she hugged her mother._

_“I do too, but I will protect her with everything inside of me,” Demeter told her. “Come, Scarlett, we have to go.” The little girl went with her grandmother and watched as her mother stood at the edge of the cave, sobbing as she watched them leave._

_“I wanna stay with Mama! I want to stay with Mama!” Scarlett screamed. She stomped her feet and forced Demeter to pick the little girl up and carry her away._

_“Scarlett, sweetheart, you have to stop,” Demeter told her. “We need to get you to safety.” The toddler was relentless as she kicked and screamed. Suddenly, a huge wave of magic washed over the whole land. It was a sensation that Demeter had never felt before. She could feel the magic infusing back into her veins. With a flick of her wrist, her hands began to glow and Demeter knew that her magic was back. With her magic back, Demeter knew that she could open a portal and send Scarlett through it to save her from Hades. She quickly conjured up a crystal ball. Housing memories had been something that she had been working on before the last curse stole her magic. “Scarlett, love, I need you to put your hands on this now.” The little girl had never heard her grandmother talk so sternly so she did was she was told.  “Love, you will not understand what is happening right now, but in the years to come you will find us once again and everything will make sense. Just remember my words.You are loved, Scarlett. You mean everything to your mother and me and we are doing this to save you. Stay safe, my precious girl. I have faith that you will be alright.” Suddenly, Demeter saw the first rays of sunshine peek over the horizon and she knew that Hades would be coming for her at any moment. She used her magic to pull Scarlett’s memories and store them in the crystal ball. “Keep this crystal ball and you will be able to remember us.” Suddenly a jolt of magic threw the crystal ball from her hands. “Hades!” Demeter growled._

_“It’s too late, Demeter,” Hades retorted. “How do you feel knowing that I’ll have taken your daughter and your granddaughter? You’re doing great in the parenting department.”_

_“Not this time,” Demeter said in a low voice. She whipped her hands around her head and instantly thunder boomed overhead, lighting streaked its way across the sky, and a tornado began to form. Seeing what the goddess was doing, Hades tried to get closer to the little girl but Demeter was quick to hit him with a jolt of her magic to hold him at bay. When the tornado was strong enough, Demeter pushed Scarlett back into its harsh winds and watched as it took off into the sky with the little girl in its grasp. Demeter opened a portal and sent the tornado through it. She let out a sigh of relief knowing that for now, Scarlett was safe._

_“Where did you send her?” Hades demanded._

_“Somewhere you’ll never be able to get to her,” Demeter retorted. “You’ve lost, Hades.”_

_“For now,” he replied with a smirk. “However, it’ll be hard for her to find you both without this,” he said as he held up the crystal ball. Demeter gasped. She hadn’t realized that Scarlett didn’t have the crystal ball when she sent her away. Her heart dropped. She had no idea how the little girl would find them now. However, Demeter knew that fate worked in mysterious ways and she had hope that fate would lead the little girl back to them one day._

 

Scarlett gasped as her vision came to. She remembered. She remembered everything. She looked around in confusion after realizing that she was no longer in her safe treehouse. She looked around and saw fields of beautiful white and yellow narcissus flowers. Suddenly, it came to her. This was the meadow where she and her mother had gone for picnics all those years ago.  This was the meadow from her dreams. However, if this was that meadow...that meant one thing. Scarlett wasn’t in Storybrooke anymore...she was in the Enchanted Forest.


	31. The Enchanted Forest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After hearing about Scarlett going missing, Regina, Robin, Emma, and Henry head off on a new journey to get her back

*Continuation from “Confirmation” 

“What do you mean Scarlett’s missing?” Regina asked, her breathing already quickening as panic grew in her chest. 

“Well…” Henry began timidly. “She told me that she was going to work on a project with her friend, Sara. She even said that she cleared it with you, Mom.” 

“She didn’t tell me anything about that.” 

“Well, I didn’t know that,” Henry replied. “Anyway, I took Roland and Addy to the park and while we were there, I saw Sara. I asked her where Scarlett was and she told me that she hadn’t seen her all day and that they didn’t even have any plans.” 

“Okay, did anyone try her phone? Or did someone drive around and look for her?” Emma interjected, her sheriff instincts kicking in. 

“I tried her phone,” Henry replied. 

“And David and I both drove around and looked for her,” Robin said. 

“I walked around town and asked everyone that I saw if they’d seen her, ” Snow added. “No one had seen her.” 

“Okay, okay, let me think…” Regina panicked as she paced back and forth. “Henry, quick! Run upstairs and grab one of Scarlett’s necklaces.” Henry didn’t waste a moment before running upstairs. 

“Regina, what are you thinking?” Emma asked. 

“The only thing I can think of is a locator potion,” Regina said. 

“Here, mom! I got it!” Henry yelled as he ran downstairs and handed Scarlett’s favorite necklace to Regina. Regina conjured a bottle of the locator potion with a wave of her hand. Then, she moved to the cabinet in her office and began looking through the shelves. 

“Where is it? Where is it?” she mumbled quietly to herself. 

“What are you looking for?” Emma asked. “You have the potion. Just pour it on the necklace.” 

“I don’t have time to follow this necklace all over god knows where. I learned an adaption to my locator potion. I just need...ahah! This!” she exclaimed as she pulled out a map of Storybrooke. Regina laid the map across her desk and set Scarlett’s locket in the middle of it. Then, she popped the top off the potion bottle and poured it onto the map and necklace. The necklace started to shake and Regina was hopeful that it would lead them to Scarlett’s location. However, the necklace didn’t remain on the map. It flew up into the air and started zooming around the room. 

“Regina? What’s going on?” Snow asked as the necklace narrowly missed her head. 

“I don’t know!” Regina replied. “The spell isn’t supposed to go like this!” The necklace continued to fly around the room until it ran straight into the cabinet where Regina had gotten the map of Storybrooke from. Though she was confused, Regina walked over and opened up the cabinet. The necklace zoomed inside and then stopped on a particular piece of paper. 

“What does that mean?” Robin asked. Regina pulled out the piece of paper and unrolled it. As she did, her eyes grew wide. 

“She’s not in Storybrooke…” Regina replied. 

“Well, where is she?” Emma asked. Regina turned the piece of paper around to the rest of the group. Everyone was shocked when they realized what they were looking at. 

“Scarlett’s in the Enchanted Forest….”

“How on earth did she get there?” Emma asked. “Do you think she conjured a portal or something?” 

“I don’t think she knows how to do that,” Regina replied nervously. “But there is a lot I don’t know about Scarlett’s powers, so it’s possible.” 

“The real question is how are we going to get to the Enchanted Forest?” Robin asked. 

“I’ve never been the best at portals,” Emma replied. “Regina?” 

“I...maybe. I do have...” She trailed off as she rummaged through the drawers in her desk. “This…” she finished as she pulled the sorcerer’s wand out of her desk. 

“You keep the sorcerer’s wand in your desk?” Emma questioned. 

“I have four kids. I don’t have time to be running to my vault all the time,” Regina replied. 

“Regardless, let's just make this portal and go save Scarlett, ” Robin answered sternly. 

“I’m coming with you, ” Emma added. 

“Me too!” Henry replied. “I can’t help but feel that this is somehow my fault.” 

“We’ll come too, of course,” Snow replied, motioning to her and David. 

“Actually, Snow...can I talk to you for a second? Outside…” 

“Sure,” Snow replied as she followed Regina out to the front porch. Once they got outside, Regina crossed her arms over her chest and started pacing back and forth. “I know that you are worried about Scarlett, but I can’t help but feel that there’s something more that’s bothering you.” 

“Snow...I know that you and David want to come, but I need a bigger favor from you both,” Regina began. 

“Of course, anything,” Snow told her. 

“I need you to stay and watch Roland and Addy. As much as I trust Granny to watch them, I would just feel so much better if you and David had them. I know I can’t stop Henry from coming so worrying about three children is pretty much all I can handle right now.” 

“Three children?” 

“Crap…” Regina muttered. 

“Regina...are you? Are you pregnant?” Snow asked, a smile bursting on her face. 

“Keep your voice down, but yes,” Regina confessed.

“Oh, Regina! I’m so happy for you!” Snow exclaimed as she pulled her stepmother into a hug. “How did Robin react? Was he thrilled?” 

“I-I haven’t told him yet,” Regina confessed. “I just confirmed it today. I’m eight weeks along. I can’t tell him just yet, not until we get Scarlett back.” 

“Okay, your secret’s safe with me,” Snow replied. “And, as much as I want to be fighting by your side, I will take the kids and make sure that they’re safe.” 

“Thank you, Snow. I really appreciate it,” Regina replied. 

“Come on, we better get back inside. You have a daughter to save,” Snow told her and Regina nodded. They headed back inside the house where everyone else was waiting. Emma called Hook and told him what was going on and they both agreed that he’d stay back to take care of the town. They also explained to Roland and Addy that they were going to stay with Snow and David and then it was time to go. 

“You promise, you’ll look out for them?” Regina asked one last time. 

“Of course, we will. Now go! They’ll be fine,” Snow assured her.  Regina took a deep breath and then took a step back so she was next to Robin, Emma, and Henry. She took the sorcerers wand in her hand and concentrated to fire up the power in the wand. With a flick of her wrist, a portal opened and the four of them stepped inside. 

Normally, going through a portal felt seamless and just like stepping through a door. However, this time, things felt strange and instead of landing nicely inside of Regina’s castle, they ended up plummeting to the ground in the middle of the forest. 

“Oww…” Emma groaned as she picked herself off the ground. “What the hell just happened? Portal jumping never hurt before.” 

“I don’t know…” Regina replied. “It was like my magic went a little haywire. I tried to get us to my castle but we ended up here...wherever here is…” 

“What’s important is that we’re in the Enchanted Forest,” Robin replied. “Now, we just need to find Scarlett.”   
“Any ideas on how we do that?” Henry posed to the group. The three adults looked at one another for a second. Clearly, none of them had any ideas. “What about another locator potion? It worked before,” he suggested. 

“It would work...we just don’t have the ingredients,” Regina replied. “I do have the necessary ingredients in my castle though.” 

“So that’s the plan,” Robin said. “We head to the castle. I’m confident that I can get us there. I’ve always felt at home when it comes to navigating my way through a forest.” Everyone seemed to be in agreement, considering they didn’t have any other ideas. They started to walk in the direction of the castle and Emma noticed Regina looking paler and paler. 

“I-I have to excuse myself for a second,” Regina suddenly said. “I just need to use the bathroom.” She broke from the group and headed off into the forest. Emma, feeling like something was wrong, ended up following her. She found Regina bracing herself against a tree taking deep breaths. 

“Hey, you okay?” Emma asked. 

“Oh just peachy,” Regina replied, a hand pressed firmly against her stomach. “Just don’t think the baby liked portal jumping.” As Emma got closer, she could see that Regina looked green. 

“Okay, just take some deep breaths,” Emma coaxed. “I’m sure it’ll pass.” Regina tried to take deep breaths, however, no amount of breathing seemed to stop her nausea. Eventually, Regina lost her battle, hunched over and began vomiting into bushes. Emma sighed and moved behind Regina to pull her hair back out of her face. “Just get it out. You’ll feel better.” 

“Emma, It’s not,” she gagged. “It’s not stopping,” she choked out before throwing up again. 

“Regina, I think what your baby didn’t like was you using your magic,” Emma told her. “When I was pregnant with Hope, I felt the same way.” 

“But how are we going to find Scarlett if I can’t use my magic?” Regina choked out. 

“I can try my best to utilize my magic. I know it’s not as good as yours but it does work,” Emma told her. “Regina...I really think you should tell Robin. It’s going to be hard to hide this from him. When I made the mistake of using my magic with Hope, I felt awful all day.” 

“No, I’m not telling him,” Regina replied as she wiped her mouth, finally feeling a tiny bit better. 

“Regina…” 

“No Emma, I’m not telling him,” Regina snapped. “I want this to be happy news. This baby is a miracle and we should celebrate it, not nonchalantly announce it and go rushing into another crisis. I’ve waited for such a long time to be pregnant. I’m not giving up this moment. We just need to find Scarlett and then, I’ll tell him. Now, come on, we need to get moving if we want to make it to my castle by nightfall.” Without another word, Regina pushed herself away from Emma and started back towards Henry and Robin. They continued to walk through the forest and while they did, Regina had to break away numerous times to get sick. Clearly the baby inside of her did not enjoy hopping realms and it was definitely getting back at Regina for it now. 

“What is up with mom?” Henry asked. “She’s had to pee like so many times since we got here. We’re never going to make it to the castle before dark if we need to keep stopping.” 

“I’m sure she can’t help it. Just give her some slack,” Emma said in defense of Regina. Shortly after, Regina walked back to them, but she still didn’t look very good. 

“Regina, love, are you feeling alright? You look really pale,” Robin asked as she walked over to her. 

“I’m fine,” Regina replied, breaking away from him as he tried to feel her forehead. 

“You’re shaking,” Henry commented as he walked closer to her. 

“We need to keep going,” Regina replied as she pushed past them. She had only taken a few steps when she suddenly stopped. Regina felt her vision begin to grow hazy and her legs grew weak.  “A-actually I-I’m not okay,” she stuttered out before her legs gave way and her body plummeted to the ground. 

“Regina!” Henry, Emma, and Robin exclaimed as they rushed towards her body. 

“Regina? Regina? Can you hear me?” Robin said as he shook her body. “Wake up, love, wake up.” 

“I don’t understand. She was fine before we left,” Henry said.

“Maybe she was touched by poison somewhere in the forest,” Robin suggested. Emma was nervous. She had a feeling that Regina was just dehydrated from vomiting so much, but she couldn’t be sure. Something could be seriously wrong with the baby. She knew Regina wanted to break the news in a positive way, but they just couldn’t wait any longer. 

“She wasn’t poisoned,” Emma said. 

“How do you know?” Robin asked. 

“Because...because she’s pregnant,” Robin and Henry both looked up at Emma in disbelief. It was clear from Robin’s face that he was in shock. This couldn’t be happening. It wasn’t possible. 


	32. Double the Trouble

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Regina passes out, Emma, Robin, and Henry get help from some new friends. Startling revelations are made about Scarlett's past and some big news about Regina's pregnancy is revealed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I also wanted to let you know that I made a trailer for this new part of the story. Here is the link to the youtube video! Please check it out! I worked really hard on it!

"For Those in Her Heart" Trailer -->[ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NMVSEirHWM](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NMVSEirHWM)

“What do you mean she’s pregnant?” Robin asked, his eyes wide from panic. “She can’t get pregnant. We’ve tried.” 

“I know that it’s hard to believe after all that you two have gone through, but it’s true,” Emma replied. “I went to the doctor with her earlier to confirm it.” Emma watched as Robin looked between her and then back to Regina. It was clear that he was in a bit of shock. 

“Regina, love, wake up,” Robin said, diverting his attention back to his unconscious wife. 

“She’s probably dehydrated,” Emma said. She conjured a water bottle with her magic and then turned to Henry. “Try and go find a stream and get her some water.” Henry nodded his head and took the bottle from his mother before heading off into the forest. 

“Why would she be dehydrated?” Robin asked. 

“She’s been getting sick since we hopped through the portal,” Emma replied. “She thinks that the baby didn’t like her magic, which I think is probably what happened. I had a few similar experiences when I was pregnant with Hope.” 

“Well, what do we do? How do we fix it?” 

“It should just stop eventually,” Emma explained. “I just kind of rode out the effects and then didn’t use my magic when I was pregnant. For now, we just have to get her conscious and make sure she keeps drinking, even if she continues to get sick.” After a few minutes, Henry returned with a full bottle of water. 

“Here, Mom,” he said as he handed the bottle to Emma. She conjured a washcloth and then poured the water onto it. Emma gently patted Regina’s face with the cloth until she started to come around. 

“Regina? Can you hear me, love?” Robin asked as he saw his wife’s eyelids begin to flutter. She groaned and then turned on her side and curled up into a ball. “What is it? What’s wrong?” 

“Stomach hurts,” she groaned through gritted teeth. “...nauseous.”

“We need to find shelter,” Emma said as he knelt down next to Robin and Regina. “It’s nearly dark and she’s in no position to travel.” 

“I could go and see if there’s a village or town nearby,” Henry offered. 

“I don’t think we should split up,” Emma replied. As she said that Regina let out a groan of pain and Robin pulled her body closer to his and softly whispered that it was going to be okay. 

“We can’t just stay here. Mom needs help!” Henry yelled. They continued to argue as Regina groaned in pain. Through the sounds of their arguing voices came a higher, sweet voice that none of them recognized. 

“Muffin! Where are you? Muffin!” Emma and Henry stopped arguing and looked out into the forest. Peeking around the trees was a little girl who looked to be about Roland’s age. She definitely looked too little to be alone in the forest. When the little girl saw Emma, Henry, Robin, and Regina, she stopped dead in her tracks and looked scared. 

“It’s alright, we won’t hurt you,” Emma called to the little girl. “I’m Emma and this is my son, Henry, and my friends, Robin and Regina. We were wondering if you could maybe help us.” The little girl still looked a bit unsure but she stepped a bit closer. 

“Maybe I could help…” 

“Our friend, Regina, she’s pregnant and in a lot of pain. Is there a doctor around that she could see and get some help?” Emma asked. 

“We don’t have a doctor…” The little girl replied and Emma’s face fell. She didn’t know how to help Regina if there was no doctor in town. “...but my sister is a midwife. Maybe she could help.” 

“Yes, if there’s anything she can do, we’re willing to try it,” Robin said. “Can you take us to her?” The little girl nodded and motioned for the four of them to follow her. 

“Regina, do you think you can stand?” Robin asked. Regina didn’t reply but she tried to push herself off the ground. With Robin and Emma’s help, she was able to stand but almost immediately hunched over in pain. Tears ran down her face. It was clear that she was in too much pain to walk, so Robin slipped his arms underneath her fragile body and picked her up. They followed the little girl down a dirt covered trail in the forest that led to a tiny little village.

In the front lawn of one of the houses was a beautiful, blonde haired, blue eyed young woman hanging laundry on a clothesline. When Henry saw her, his heart instantly started to beat faster. He hadn’t really thought about girls since he had broken up with Violet, but he couldn't deny that this girl was beautiful...probably one of the most beautiful women that he had ever seen.

“Lizzie!” The little girl called as she ran up to the blonde woman. 

“Rosie! Where have you been?” The girl, Lizzie, asked. 

“I was looking for Muffin in the forest,” Rosie replied. “He’s run off again.” 

“How many times have I told you about running off in the forest by yourself?” Lizzie scolded. “Especially for that stupid cat.” 

“He’s not stupid!” Rosie retorted. “Besides if I hadn’t gone looking for Muffin, I wouldn’t have found these people. They need help.” Lizzie looked over the group of strangers and could instantly tell that something was wrong. 

“What can I do for you all?” she asked 

“Your sister said you’re a midwife,” Emma explained. “Our friend, Regina, she’s eight weeks pregnant and in a lot of pain. Is there anything that you can do? I’m Emma and that’s Robin, Regina, and my son, Henry.” 

“I’m not sure, but please come inside. I can at least get her a place to lie down,” Lizzie replied as she led the group inside. Robin followed Lizzie to the bedroom and laid Regina down on the bed. At this point, Regina was still in so much pain that she was fading in and out of consciousness. 

“Has she been bleeding at all?” Lizzie asked. “My first thought is that she may be losing the baby but I’m not sure.” 

“I don’t think so…” Robin replied. “She just seems to be in a lot of pain and she’s thrown up a lot throughout the day.” 

“Well, the nausea may be normal, but the amount of pain that she’s in is definitely not normal,” Lizzie replied. She gently touched Regina’s abdomen and the woman recoiled in pain and let out a groan. 

“This is going to sound weird,” Emma began. “...but we’re not from here. We’re from another world...well, they used to live here,” she added motioning to Regina and Robin. “Anyway, Regina has magic and she conjured a portal for us to go through because we’re looking for someone...their daughter actually. I think that maybe her magic may have had negative effects on the baby.” Lizzie realized from Emma’s explanation that she was a little out of her depth. The effects of magic on a fetus wasn’t exactly part of her midwifery training. 

“Okay...this may be a bit advanced for me, but I think I know someone who can help,” Lizzie replied. “Rosie, go and get Demeter.” The little girl nodded and ran out of the house. “She has way  more experience with pregnant mothers than I do...also, she’s got magic.” 

“Wait...Demeter?” Henry questioned. “Like the goddess of fertility?” Robin and Emma both looked at him with confused looks. “What? We studied Greek mythology in school.” 

“I suppose she is a goddess but around here she’s just Demeter,” Lizzie replied. A few moments after she said that a beautiful woman with chestnut brown hair and forest green eyes appeared. 

“Slow down, Rosie!” she scolded as the little girl pulled her by the hand. “Lizzie, what’s going on?” 

“Demeter, this is Emma, Henry, Robin, and Regina,” Lizzie explained. “Regina is eight weeks pregnant and in a lot of pain. She’s got magic and I just figured that I was a little out of my depth and that you’d be better to help them.” The goddess walked over to the bed where Regina was lying and held her hand over her abdomen. 

“There is a lot of waring magic here,” she explained. “There are elements of light and dark magic...but also two separate souls with magic of their own. And, they’re quite riled up right now.” 

“Wait? Two? Did she say two?” Robin questioned. “Like twins?” 

“Yes, I can sense two heartbeats,” Demeter explained. “Right now, the babies’ magic is fighting against Regina’s and it’s causing her extreme pain. I can neutralize their magic and stop the reaction if you’ll allow me too.” 

“It won’t hurt the babies?” Robin asked. 

“No, they’ll be just fine.” 

“Then please, do it,” he replied. Demeter nodded her head and held her hands back over Regina’s abdomen. Light emitted from her hands and as it found its way to Regina’s, her body gradually relaxed and the pained expression from her face disappeared. “There, now all three of them can rest.” 

“You all are welcome to stay the night,” Lizzie interjected. “It’s not much but it’s better than being outside in the forest.” 

“We appreciate that,” Robin said. “Thank you so much for your kindness.” 

“Of course,” Lizzie replied. “And while I don’t know much about neutralizing magical babies, I do have an excellent recipe for ginger tea that I know helps with morning sickness. I think I am out of the ingredients though, so I’d have to go out into the forest for a little bit.”  

“I could go with you,” Henry volunteered immediately. “I mean, it is pretty dark. I wouldn’t want you to be out there by yourself.” 

“Alright then, that sounds lovely,” Lizzie replied. “Let me just get my basket and we can be off.” 

“I want to come too!” Rosie announced. “Plus, Muffin is still lost!” 

“I’ll help you find Muffin, dear,” Demeter told the young girl. “I think it’s best if we give your sister a little space.” 

“Okay,” Rosie agreed, a bit of disappointment evident in her voice. 

“Demeter, I do have one question for you,” Emma said. “We’re looking for someone and we were trying to get to Regina’s castle to get ingredients for a locator potion. You wouldn’t happen to have the ingredients? With Regina unable to use her magic, It’ll be up to me to make the potion.” 

“I just might have what you need,” Demeter replied. “Why don’t you come with Rosie and I and I’ll see what I can dig up for you.” 

“Sounds like a plan. Robin, are you alright with her?” Emma asked. 

“Yes, I think we’ll be fine,” Robin replied as he ran his fingers through Regina’s hair. With that, everyone went their separate ways and Robin was left with his wife. He felt a bit better knowing that she wasn’t in pain any longer but Robin was still very much in shock from the news that he was having not one, but two babies. It was almost unbelievable. They had tried everything from different pills, teas, potions. Nothing had worked so he didn’t understand how this was possible. However, it didn’t make him any less excited. He could practically see their little one now. He could envision a baby girl with Regina’s honey brown eyes and dark locks...or maybe even two little girls. On the other hand, it would be nice to have another little boy. Raising Roland has been one of the more rewarding and best parts of his life and it would be nice to have another little boy to pass on the tricks and trades he’s learned from living in the forest. Robin laid his hand over Regina’s abdomen and smiled. “Hello in there,” he whispered into Regina’s stomach. “This is your Papa speaking. I just wanted to tell you two to play nice in there and that your Mama and I love you both so much. If you two could take it easy on your Mama and let her feel a bit better, I know she’d appreciate it.” He finished his message with a kiss to Regina’s stomach and then her forehead. He stayed by her bedside but made sure to be quiet and let her rest. If she needed anything right now, it was some uninterrupted rest. 

Out in the forest, Lizzie and Henry were gathering the ingredients for the ginger tea. “So, Emma mentioned that you come from a different realm. What is that like?” Lizzie asked. 

“Well, I think the biggest difference is probably the technology. We have things like televisions and cellphones,” Henry explained. 

“What are those?” 

“Well, this is a cell phone,” Henry said as he pulled his phone out of his pocket. 

“I’ve never seen anything like this,” Lizzie said. She gently poked the screen and her eyes lit up as the screen grew brighter. She touched another button and Henry’s music started playing. “How is that little box making music? Where are the instruments?” she asked. 

“Well it’s a recording,” Henry explained. “There are other machines that record the sounds that instruments make and then you can listen to it over and over again,” he explained. 

“Wow! That’s amazing,” Lizzie exclaimed. 

“You can call people too,” Henry said. 

“I can call people without a phone. You have a voice for a reason,” she laughed. 

“No, I mean, you can call someone who is very far away and have a conversation with them.” Lizzie looked confused. “I’d show you but the Enchanted Forest doesn’t have the greatest wifi” 

“What? Why fly? What is that?” 

“Nevermind,” Henry said. “Anyway, so what’s in this ginger tea?” 

“It’s a pretty simple recipe. It’s just ginger, lemons, water, and honey.” Lizzie explained. “Thank you by the way for coming with me. It’s nice to have the company.” 

“Yeah of course,” Henry replied. “I’m sure that this tea will really be helpful for my mom.” Lizzie gave him a look of confusion. 

“This tea is for Regina. I thought Emma was your mom.” 

“Well...it’s complicated,” Henry explained. “Emma is my birth mother. She gave me up for adoption when I was just a baby and Regina adopted me, so she’s my mom too. I found Emma when I was about ten years old.” 

“Oh wow, that’s interesting,” Lizzie replied. “Do you have brothers and sisters?” 

“Three,” Henry replied. “None of them are by blood though. Roland is Robin’s son so he became my brother when my Mom, Regina married him. Addy is two. Well, her story is complicated but she’s just as much my sister as Roland is my brother. Then I have a sister who we are working on adopting who’s twelve.” 

“Sounds like you have a wonderful family,” Lizzie replied. 

“I do,” Henry replied. “Tell me about your family. Obviously, I’ve met Rosie but what about your parents,” Lizzie frowned and looked away. 

“There’s not much to tell…” she said softly. “I’ve never met my father and Rosie’s father wasn’t a very kind man so he’s not in her life. And my mother passed away about seven years ago.” 

“Oh...I’m sorry,” Henry said. “So you take care of Rosie by yourself then?” 

“Well, Demeter helps. She’s been watching over us since our mother died. She’s the closest thing to family that we have.” 

“Her and muffin, I take it,” Henry joked, trying to lighten the mood. 

“That darn cat. He’s always running off,” Lizzie laughed. “I didn’t want him but he followed Rosie home and he’s been with us ever since. They’re honestly inseparable.” 

“Speak of the devil…” Henry said. He looked down and next to his legs was a little orange tabby cat. 

“Muffin, come here you stupid cat,” Lizzie snapped. “Rosie has been looking for you. Henry, can you hold this?” she asked as she handed him the basket full of ingredients. Lizzie then reached down and scooped up the cat. 

“Do we have everything?” Henry asked. “It’s getting pretty dark.”   
“I think so,” Lizzie replied as she looked at the basket. “We have ginger, lemons, and honey. And we have a well back at the village for water. 

“We have one more food item, but I’m not sure it fits with the tea,” Henry told her. 

“What are you talking about?”

“Well, we gained one muffin,” Henry laughed. Lizzie’s face formed a smile and she let out one of the cute giggles Henry had ever heard. This was something special about this girl. He couldn’t quite put his finger on what it was...all he knew was that he wanted to spend more time with her. 

Back at the village, Demeter was helping Emma put together a locator potion. “So, you just add a pinch of this and a cup of this. Then, with a little bit of magic…” Suddenly the bottle began to glow. “There you have it. A working locator potion.” 

“Thank you so much,” Emma replied. “Regina is the potion maker between the two of us.” 

“It’s no problem,” Demeter replied. “So, who are you all looking for anyway.” 

“It’s Regina and Robin’s daughter. She’s twelve. She’s been missing for a little while and when we used a potion back home, it said that she was here in the Enchanted Forest.” 

“Can you describe what she looks like?” Demeter asked. “Maybe I or someone in the village has seen her?” 

“I do have a picture,” Emma said. She pulled out her cell phone and thumbed through the photos until she found one Scarlett that they had taken a little while ago. “She looks like this.” Demeter would have been more shocked at the cell phone had the picture of the young girl not taken her off guard. 

“This is their daughter?” Demeter asked. Emma nodded. “What’s her name?” 

“It’s Scarlett,” Emma replied. All the color drained from Demeter’s face and she felt her heartbeat begin to quicken. 

“I-I think we need to go have a talk with Robin and Regina,” Demeter replied as she rushed out of the house. Emma followed closely behind, though she was confused at what was going on.

Back at Lizzie and Rosie’s house, Regina was just beginning to stir. Robin who had been dozing in and out of sleep woke up to the sound of his wife’s sleepy mumbled. “Regina, love? Can you hear me?” he asked. 

“Robin?” she groaned. “W-what happened? Where am I?” 

“We’re in the Enchanted Forest. You passed out,” Robin replied. “What do you remember?”  

“I-I remember getting sick in the forest and then I remember walking back to you and Henry. You were saying something but I couldn’t really hear you. Then...everything went black,” Regina said. 

“So...apparently the babies in your belly didn’t react kindly to you magic,” Robin told her with a smile. 

“You know?” Regina replied. “Emma told you...wait, did you say babies? As in plural.”

“Yes honey, there are two babies in there,” Robin replied. 

“No-no, I just saw Whale and he only saw one heartbeat,” Regina said. 

“Well, sweetheart, as you’ve said before, Whale got his degree from a curse,” Robin told her. “My information comes from Demeter, the goddess of fertility. She healed you and neutralized the babies’ magic so you wouldn’t be in pain anymore.” 

“I-I am so confused… A goddess healed me?” 

“It’s been an interesting night,” Robin laughed. “But all three of you are alright now. You just can’t use your magic.” Regina frowned. The idea of not using her magic stressed her out. For so many years, her magic was her power. The thought of not being able to use it made her feel weak. How would she be able to protect herself? Protect her family? 

“Robin...can I ask you a question?” she asked.

“Of course, my love,” he replied. 

“A-are you happy...about the babies?” Regina said. It sounded so weird coming out of her mouth. Babies. She was pregnant with more than one. 

“Are you kidding?” Robin said. “Of course, I’m happy. I’m so excited that I can barely contain myself. I can’t wait to meet these little ones and hold them in my arms.” 

“I-I’m excited too...but I’m scared,” Regina replied. “I don’t think I can bear the thought of something happening to them.” 

“We just have to have faith and hope that everything will go smoothly,” Robin told her. “These babies are miracles. They’re our little miracles.” 

Regina was about to respond when the front door opened and Emma and Demeter burst into the house. “Good, you’re awake. You guys are not going to believe this,” Emma began. 

“Umm...who is this?” Regina asked. 

“Sorry my dear, we didn’t really get a chance to introduce ourselves before. I’m Demeter,” the goddess replied. 

“You’re the one who healed me...and told me that I was carrying twins.” 

“The very same,” The woman replied. “They’re both doing very well by the way. I can sense their auras.” 

“Okay, put the babies aside for a moment,” Emma said, cutting the conversation short. “I told Demeter about how we came here to find Scarlett and…well, do you want to tell them?” she asked Demeter. 

“Regina, Robin, I-I’m Scarlett’s biological grandmother,” Demeter explained. “Her mother is my daughter, Persephone. We’ve been looking for her for years.” 

“Wait? What?” Regina asked as she sat up in bed. 

“I don’t understand. How did you both lose her? How did she end up in Camelot?” Robin asked. “Also, if you’re her grandmother and your daughter is her mother, who is her father.” 

“Well...all those questions kind of go together. We sent Scarlett away to protect her from her father,” Demeter answered.  

“And who’s her father?” Regina asked. 

“It-It’s Hades,” Demeter replied and the room went silent. 


	33. The Cave

Though she had been here before, Scarlett couldn't help but feel lost in the huge forest around her. She knew that it was quickly getting dark and if she didn't find shelter quickly, she was going to be in trouble. She needed to find her mother and grandmother. It was June, so Scarlett knew that her mother should be up on Earth and not down in the Underworld like she was during the wintertime.

All of Scarlett's memories had been restored through the crystal ball. She could remember the village that she grew up in, however, for the life of her, she couldn't remember how to get there. She had been walking around the forest for hours and felt like she was getting nowhere. "I don't know where to go…" she whimpered, tears in her eyes.

As she walked, Scarlett thought she heard a noise. "Who's there?" she demanded as she turned around to face the voice. There wasn't anyone behind her. However, she did notice a cave that looked very familiar. Though she couldn't hear the voice calling to her anymore, Scarlett felt drawn to the deep dark cave. She journeyed closer to is and noticed that a forcefield covered its entrance. She held her hand up to it and as soon as her finger touched it, the force field disappeared. It was as if the forcefield was set purposely for her to break. Tentatively, she walked inside and tried to look around.

It was very dark so Scarlett did the only thing she could think of. She created a fireball with a wave of her hand. As soon as her magic filled the cave, Scarlett began to hear noises. "Who's there?" she demanded, her voice shaking from fear. Suddenly, she felt hands grab onto her body and Scarlett screamed. She tried to fight but whoever had grabbed her was too strong. She could feel her body being dragged off. She didn't know where this cave led to, but she figured that it wasn't anywhere good.

 

Back in the Village

"Hades? Hades is her father?" Regina asked as she weakly sat up in bed.

"Yes and I'm worried that he's done something to Scarlett like he's done to my Persephone," Demeter replied, a frightened expression on her face.

"Well, I think we can confirm that isn't possible," Emma interjected.

"You never know with that man. He is pure evil and who knows what he'd do if he got his hands on that little girl,” Demeter replied.

"That'll be pretty hard for him to do," Regina said. "Hades is dead."

"He's dead?" Demeter questioned. "No...no, that doesn't make any sense. If Hades was dead, his hold on Persephone should have been broken. I assumed that he had changed our arrangement concerning Persephone's living situation. I haven't seen her in over a year. I tried to go to the Underworld to get her back but there was a forcefield that I couldn't get past. I've been looking for a spell to bring it down ever since."

"What I don't understand is why Scarlett wasn't with you from the beginning?" Robin asked.

"It's complicated. We had to send her away for her own good. Hades would have used her for his own power. Neither Persephone or I could let that happen,” Demeter explained.

"So you just sent her away? By herself?" Regina practically growled. "Do you know what she went through? She was living on the streets, scrounging for food. She spent most of her childhood in an orphanage, uncared for!" Feeling the anger rising in her, Regina tried to get out of bed to confront Demeter. Almost instantly after standing up, Regina felt a sharp pain in her abdomen and she doubled over.

"Regina!" Robin exclaimed as he rushed to his wife's side. " Where are you going?"

"I'm going to find my daughter. Come on Emma! Bring that locator potion! We need to find Scarlett. Oww!" She hissed as another pain shot through her abdomen.

"Love, you need to breathe. Take a breath and try to calm down,” Robin coaxed.

"Calm down! How can I calm down? They abandoned her!" Regina exclaimed. She groaned as another pain hit her. It was then that Demeter stepped in. She placed her hand on Regina's shoulder and spoke softly and calmly to her.

"Regina, I understand that you're angry," Demeter said. "I can sense that your babies are feeding off your stress and they aren't happy. You can be angry at me because, in all honesty, I'm angry at me. Right now, your babies need you to be calm and try and breathe,” Regina seemed receptive to Demeter's advice. She followed along with the goddess's prompts and took deep breaths until the pain in her lower abdomen began to subside. When Regina was calmer, Demeter sat next to her on the bed.

"Can I tell you about the day it happened?" Regina nodded. "It was the day that Persephone had to return to the underworld. Hades had never seen Scarlett before. We had been able to keep her a secret from him, but a few days before, he saw her. Persephone and I knew that he wasn't going to just let her go. We tried to think of every possible solution to protect her but we ran out of time. He left the Underworld and was coming after her. I didn't know what else to do. I sent her away. It wasn't the way I wanted to do it. We wanted to look for a loving family for her but everything happened so fast and we couldn't risk him getting his hands on her."

"I don't understand why she never mentioned either of you. You're her grandmother and mother. She must have missed you,” Regina replied sadly.

"I can explain that too. I-I took her memories. We didn't want her to feel the pain of losing us...like we felt losing her. I preserved her memories in a crystal ball that when she touched it would release those memories back to her at the proper time. However...that didn't work either because Hades got it and took it away,” Demeter explained.

"I saw a crystal ball…" Emma began. "It was in Gold's shop."

"She touched it…" Regina interjected. "We were there one day and she dropped it. Could it have happened then?"

"Possibly," Demeter began. "To gain memories back from a crystal ball, the person has to be relaxed and in a safe spot."

"She must have gone back to Gold's shop," Robin said. "She disappeared today. Would the ball take her to Enchanted Forest?"

"It shouldn't have but there's no telling what Hades could have done to it while it was in his possession,” Demeter amended.

"Then she could be in real danger. We need to find her,” Robin replied. "Emma, did you get that locator potion to work?"

"I did," Emma replied.

"We won't be needing that,” Demeter said cutting Emma off. She walked over to Lizzie's sewing supplies and pulled out a needle. "Follow me," she prompted. Demeter and the rest of the group headed outside where they were met by Henry and Lizzie.

"Mom! You're up! Are you feeling better?" he asked.

"I'm okay," Regina said, though she still felt incredibly weak.

"I've got the ingredients to make that tea to help with your nausea,” Lizzie offered as she held up her wicker basket.

"I'm afraid that we don't have time for tea," Demeter said. "Lizzie...Scarlett is here in the Enchanted Forest."

"What? But how?" The girl asked.

"I don't have time to explain. She could be in danger."

"Wait, how do you know Scarlett?" Henry asked.

"She used to live here in the village with us," Lizzie explained. "It's a long story,” she added before turning her attention back to the goddess. Demeter took the sewing needle and pricked her finger. A tiny bead of blood bubbled to the surface of her skin. Then, she took that blood and rubbed her finger into the dirt beneath her. With a wave of her hand, the blood began to glow and then it began to move, tracing a path through the forest. They followed the path until they came to a familiar cave.

"Oh no!" Lizzie exclaimed.

"What? What's wrong?" Regina asked.

"That cave leads...to the Underworld,” Demeter replied somberly.

"So that means that Scarlett is down there?" Robin asked. Demeter nodded her head.

"We have to get her back,” Regina exclaimed.

"Don't worry. I'm not letting this dreaded world take another member of my family,” Demeter marched angrily towards the cave and tried to go inside. However, as soon as she reached the threshold of the cave, a magical force threw her backward onto the ground. Emma and Lizzie rushed back to help her.

"Are you alright?" Emma asked.

"I'm fine, but Hades… his forcefield won't let me through,” Demeter snarled.

"What if we try?" Emma offered. "Hades' history with you makes me think that this spell may be personal,” She tentatively walked up to the forcefield and placed a finger on it. Unlike Demeter's attempt, Emma wasn't flung backward. Seeing Emma's success, Regina walked over to it.

"Regina stop!" Robin exclaimed. "You can't go down there. We have to think of the babies."

"I'm not going to let my daughter alone in the Underworld. I need to go," Regina retorted.

"But we don't know what this will do to you or them," Robin argued back. While Regina saw his point, she wasn't about to let everyone else go save Scarlett and leave her behind.

"I know...but we have to try,” Regina walked up to the forcefield and stuck her hand through it. It seemed to work and the babies were still okay. Seeing that both Emma and Regina could pass, Henry and Robin walked towards the cave too.

"Wait, I want to come," Lizzie called.

"No, absolutely not," Demeter replied harshly. "You are not going down there."

"This is my one chance to see Mama," Lizzie replied. "I'm not going to give that up. Also, what if something happens to Regina and the babies? I have the training to help her."

"It's too dangerous!"

"You always say that sometimes you have to risk it all for family…" Lizzie began. "I think that's what I need to do." Seeing how hard this was for Demeter, Regina walked over to her and took her hand.

"I can see how much you care for her. We'll look out for her. I promise,” Regina assured her."

Demeter started to soften up. The thought of Lizzie going into the underworld turned her stomach. She was like another daughter to her and Demeter couldn't handle losing another daughter. However, she knew that Lizzie was a determined girl and ultimately, Demeter knew that if she put her mind to something, it was going to happen.

"You'll be careful?"

"Of course, I will," Lizzie replied. "And you'll look out for Rosie?" Demeter nodded.

"I'll even keep an eye on that darn cat," Demeter replied with a laugh. Lizzie smiled and threw herself into Demeter's grasp. Demeter enveloped the girl into a hug and then pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Go, this is not goodbye. This is a see you later,"

"Absolutely," Lizzie replied. Eventually, she broke from Demeter's grasp and walked over to the cave entrance. Though she wanted to do this, Lizzie was understandably nervous. Henry looked down and saw that her hand was shaking, so he tentatively reached out and grabbed it. She looked up at him with her crystal blue eyes and smiled. Henry smiled back. With everyone in their places, Emma, Regina, Robin, Henry and Lizzie all joined hands and took a deep breath. With one step, they passed through the forcefield and entered into the cave, leaving the human world behind them.

"We did it," Emma said.

"We sure did," Robin agreed. "We're in the Underworld...again."

"Now…" Regina began. "Let's go find Scarlett."


	34. The Mist

“We’ve been walking for a while. We have to be getting close to the end of this cave,” Emma groaned as she and the rest of the group continued to walk through the dark, damp cave. 

“This is the Underworld, not some amusement park funhouse,” Regina snapped. “There’s not automatically a clear exit.” 

“I’m just saying that we’ve been walking for a while,” Emma replied defensively. “There’s no need to snap at me.” 

“Let’s just stop fighting and stay focused on finding Scarlett,” Robin interjected, trying to calm the tension between the two women. “Is there any kind of spell that either of you can do to help us find our way out of here?” Emma and Regina glanced between one another. 

“I can’t think of anything,” Emma replied. 

“Neither can I,” Regina agreed. “We’ll just have to keep walking.” 

“Well, I can navigate a forest, so I should be able to navigate this cave,” Robin said as he started running his fingers against the cave wall. “It’s damp,” he added. “There must be water somewhere in this cave. Water always flows somewhere.”Robin continued to run his hand along the cold cave wall. He led the group further through the cave and eventually, they started to hear the sound of running water.

“You were right. It’s a river,” Henry said.

“If I can tell which way the water is following, I should be able to tell which way the exit is,” Robin said. He leaned down closer to the rushing waters and placed his hand into the water. Almost instantly, Robin felt his eyelids begin to grow heavy and he felt dizzy.

“Robin!” Regina exclaimed as his body began to topple forward. Luckily, Henry and Emma were able to grab onto him before his body plunged into the dark water. “What just happened?” Regina exclaimed as she knelt down by Robin’s unconscious body. “Robin! Robin! Wake up!” Being the only one with medical training, Lizzie rushed over and felt for a pulse on Robin. 

“He has a pulse. I think that he’s asleep,” she said, trying to calm Regina down. 

“That actually makes sense,” Henry interjected. “We learned about the rivers of the Underworld. There are five. This one must be the Lethe, which is the river of forgetfulness and oblivion. It’s said that mortals had to drink from this river to forget their lives on earth,” he explained. 

“So, are you telling me that the water just wiped his entire memory?” Regina asked, her eyes wide in a panic. 

“I don’t know,” Henry replied honestly. “He didn’t drink the water so there’s a chance that it could have just put him to sleep. I don’t know how long he’ll be out for thought.” 

“Well regardless, we can’t keep going with him unconscious like this. We’ll have to stay here for the night,” Emma interjected. The rest of the group seemed to agree with her, so they settled in a little nook in the cave. Emma and Henry helped move Robin against the cave wall. Regina followed close behind and took a seat on the ground next to Robin’s body and pulled his head into her lap. After they were settled, Henry wandered over to the other side of the cave and took a seat next to Lizzie. 

“Are you alright, Regina?” Emma asked. “Do you need anything?” 

“Just for my husband to wake up and remember me,” Regina replied softly. 

“He’s gonna be alright,” Emma told her as she placed her hand on top of Regina’s hand. 

“How do you know that?” Regina asked. “If I’ve learned anything in my lifetime, it’s that this world doesn’t like me to be happy. I find out I’m pregnant and then my daughter goes missing in the Underworld. We find out it’s twins and then my husband touches some magical river and possibly forgets everything about the ones he loves. Seems pretty fitting, don’t you think?” 

“Just give it time,” Emma told her. “I have faith that everything is going to be okay.” 

“How do you and your mother do that?” Regina asked. 

“Do what?” 

“Keep pushing through life with this sense of hope that everything is going to be alright?”   
“It’s better than going through life always waiting for the other shoe to drop,” Emma told her. “My life surely hasn’t been perfect. I’ve learned that sometimes life honestly sucks and it’ll keep hitting you even when you think you’ve hit your lowest point.” 

“You know your mother is much better at giving hope speeches,” Regina interjected. 

“Just let me finish,” Emma replied with a smirk. “Even though there have been a lot of tough times in my life, I’ve always gotten through them. I’m a survivor and so are you, Regina. We keep fighting until the very end for the people that we love. Even if Robin’s memories are wiped, we’ll figure out a way to get them back.” 

“Alright…that was a little bit better,” Regina replied with a smirk. 

“I know it’s hard not to think the worst, but just try and be patient. We won’t know anything until Robin wakes up, so you should try and get some rest yourself. You’re still recovering.” 

“I’m fine,” Regina replied, brushing off Emma’s comment. 

“I’m serious, Regina,” Emma interjected. “I know your style is to pretend like your problems don’t exist and ignore them, but you have two little lives depending on you.”Regina was about to fight back but she knew Emma was right. She did tend to ignore her problems.

“I’ll try and rest.” 

“Good,” Emma replied as she settled in on the floor next to Regina. 

Across the cave, Henry and Lizzie were still sitting next to one another. As time ticked by, the two teenagers were getting more and more tired. Lizzie was fading fast. It was becoming virtually impossible for her to keep her eyelids open. Occasionally, her head would loll forward as sleep threatened to overtake her, but then she’d jerk herself awake at the last moment. 

“You can rest your head on my shoulder…” Henry said quietly. 

“What?” Lizzie asked her mind still a bit fuzzy. 

“You look tired,” Henry repeated. “You can lay your head on my shoulder so you’re a little more comfortable.” 

“That’s alright. I wouldn’t want to make you uncomfortable,” Lizzie replied. “Really, I’m alright. I’m not tired.” Her statement was punctuated by a yawn and Henry shot her a look. “Alright, maybe I am a bit tired,” she conceded. She laid her head against Henry’s shoulder and nestled into his side. Henry cuddled the girl into his side and smiled. Ever since he met Lizzie, Henry felt that he hadn’t stopped smiling.Every time that he looked into Lizzie’s crystal blue eyes, Henry could feel his heart begin to flutter. There was something special about her that he just couldn’t place his finger on. All that Henry knew was that he wanted to stick around and find out more about her. He hadn’t felt this way about someone since he first met Violet.

Emma, who hadn’t managed to fall asleep, looked over at her son and the young blonde girl currently nestled into his side. Though they were both asleep, smiles were still plastered on their faces. Emma had also noticed the flirty demeanor between the two earlier in the day. It was clear as day. Henry had a crush. 

“Hey Regina…are you awake?” she asked softly. 

“I am now,” The older woman grumbled, her eyes slowly opening. “What?” 

“Henry and Lizzie seem to have hit it off,” Emma commented as she pointed over at the two teenagers. 

“He’s just being a gentleman,” Regina replied. “That’s how I raised him to act towards a woman.” 

“You don’t think there might be something more between them?”

“He’s still a child,” Regina retorted

“He’s eighteen,” Emma replied with a laugh. “You know I had Henry when I was eighteen, right?” 

“Well, you and Henry are vastly different,” Regina quipped. “Now, if you’ll excuse, I’m going back to sleep. You were the one who insisted I rest after all.” Emma could see that Regina didn’t want to talk, so she let the conversation end. Deep down, Emma knew that Regina saw what she saw. Henry was crushing on Lizzie and he was crushing hard. She just wasn’t willing to admit it to herself. 

The next morning, Regina was the first to wake up. Not surprisingly, it was due to the overwhelming feeling of nausea. Damn morning sickness. She gently slid Robin’s head off of her lap and stumbled over to the River, hoping not to wake up everyone else. When she couldn’t hold it in any longer, Regina doubled over and threw up into the water. If Henry was right about mortals having to drink from this river as they entered the Underworld, she felt pretty bad for them now. Though her early morning vomiting sessions were pretty normal for her now, there was one thing that was different. Regina ran her hand down over her stomach and there was a noticeable bump under her shirt, which was strange considering last night her stomach was as flat as it had always been.

“You okay?” Regina heard from behind her. It was Emma who still looked pretty tired. 

“I’m fine,” Regina replied. “Nothing I’m not used to.” 

“Regina…your belly. You popped overnight.” Emma said. 

“Yeah, I know,” Regina agreed. “Seeing it is…kind of crazy.” Before Emma could say another word, they heard groaning coming from where they had been sleeping. Robin was beginning to wake up. Regina rushed over to him and knelt down by his side. “Robin, honey? It’s me. It’s Regina.” 

“Mmmmm…” The man groaned as his eyes opened. 

“Robin, honey, what’s my name?” Regina asked, trying to see if his memories were still intact. 

“What long was I asleep? You already have a bump,” He mumbled as he reached out and gently placed a hand on Regina’s slightly swollen belly. 

“You remember?” Regina exclaimed. 

“How could I ever forget you, my love,” Robin replied. “Now, but in all seriousness, how long was I asleep?” 

“It’s only been a night,” Emma replied. 

“I felt which way the water was flowing before I fell asleep,” Robin added. “I think I know how to get us out of here.” 

“Guess we should wake up the kids then,” Emma added. 

“Yeah, the sooner we find Scarlett, the better.” Regina agreed. Once everyone was awake, they started to make their way out of the cave. With Robin’s help, they finally made it. They walked out of the dark, damp cave and into the familiar Underworld version of Storybrooke. However, this time, the place seemed virtually abandoned. 

“Where is everyone?” Henry asked. 

“I don’t know…” Regina replied. “However, if we’re going to find people anywhere, there’s only one place that I can think of to look.” She didn’t even have to say the name of the place that she was thinking. Everyone in the group looked across the street and saw Granny’s sitting there. They walked across the street and opened the door to the diner. There were a few people sitting in booths and at tables. Behind the counter was none other than the blind witch. 

“Well look who’s back?” The witch said as she sniffed and took in a big breath. 

“Child muncher…” Regina said. 

“What can I do for you? A slice of toddler filled pie? Or make a slice of cake with children filling.” 

“Yeah, I’ll pass,” Regina retorted. “We’re looking for someone. Little girl, red hair, green eyes. Her name is Scarlett.” 

“Haven’t seen her,” The witch replied. “But she sounds delicious.” 

“So who’s in charge down here these days?” Emma asked. 

“In charge? No one. Not since Hades was killed.” The witch replied. 

“I find that hard to believe,” Regina retorted. “You’re all leeches for power down here. What about Cruella?

“Haven’t seen her.” 

“Well, clearly you’re full of answers and a lot of help,” Regina snapped. “Come on, let’s go.”The five of them left Granny’s and stood outside. 

“Well, what do we do now?” Robin asked. 

“I still have that locator potion.” Emma offered. “It could work. I know magic is unstable down here, but it’s worth a shot.” Emma pulled the potion from her pocket and poured it on the necklace that they had used earlier. The silver necklace began to glow and then it started to float off into the distance. The group followed the necklace as it led them into a dark and misty forest. 

“I don’t remember this part of the Underworld…” Regina said tentatively. 

“Yeah, I don’t think we’ve made it to this part of town last time we were down here,” Emma agreed. “Are we sure that this potion is working?” 

“I’m not sure,” Regina confessed. “I’m kind of hoping it’s not because if Scarlett’s in here…” Just as she was saying that they started to hear noises all around them. “What was that?” 

“I don’t know,” 

“Is anyone there?” Robin called. There was no reply. Suddenly, they all heard a scream. They turned around and saw Lizzie being attacked by six little gnome creatures. She struggled against their grasp as they tried to pull her deeper into the forest. 

“Lizzie!” Henry exclaimed as he tried to fight the gnomes off. As they began to look around, more gnomes started to appear and surrounded the group. 

“There’s too many of them!” Robin yelled. Emma started to blast the gnomes with her magic but it didn’t seem to be doing much to contain them. Regina tried to help. She fired up her magic in her palm and almost instantly felt a stabbing pain in her abdomen. 

“Regina! No! You have to think about the babies!” Emma yelled. With Regina’s hands virtually tied behind her back, the situation was pretty bleak. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a girl ran into the forest with a torch of fire. 

“Get out of here you little freaks!” she screamed as she jutted the fire towards the gnomes. Clearly freaked out by fire, the gnomes retreated into the forest. Lizzie collapsed on the ground, breathing heavily and Henry ran to her side to help her up. 

“Thank you,” Emma said to the girl as she got her bearings back. 

“I saw you guys heading into the forest from Granny’s. You’re clearly not supposed to be here because everyone knows not to go to the dark forest when it’s misty. Those little gnomes prey on anything that moves.” the girl replied. 

“How did you know the fire would scare them off?” Robin asked. 

“Let’s just say I’ve been here a while,” The girl replied. “I’m Lillie.” 

“I’m Emma,” she began. “and this is Robin, Henry, Lizzie, and Regina.” As she motioned to Regina, Lillie’s eyes got wider. 

“Regina? As in the Evil Queen?” she asked. 

“I like to think I’ve changed. I haven’t been the Evil Queen for a while.” Regina replied. “For the record, if I did something to you on Earth, I apologize.” 

“No…no, It’s not that. I think that you all should come with me.” Lillie replied. 

“In all due respect, but we just met you and we have to find someone so no thanks,” Regina replied. “Come on guys.” Not wanting to go against Regina, Emma, Robin, Henry, and Lizzie started following behind Regina. 

“Wait! Wait! Please, just listen to me.” Lillie called. “I know where you can find Elijah!” Regina felt her heart stop. He couldn’t be down here…could he? 


	35. Family Ties

“What did you just say?” Regina asked as she turned around to face the young blonde girl. 

“I said I know where to find Elijah. That’s who you’re looking for right,” Lillie replied. 

“Listen, I think you must have us confused with someone else,” Robin interjected. “We’re looking for our daughter so we need to get going. Right, Regina?” Robin looked over to Regina and he could see that his wife had gone pale. “Regina, let’s go,” he repeated. 

“I-I…” the woman stuttered. 

“Regina, you should tell him,” Emma whispered. 

“Tell me what?” Robin demanded. “What are you two talking about?” The two women shared one last glance before Regina finally spoke up. 

“Elijah…is my son.” The rest of the group, aside from Emma, stood there, mouths open, completely stunned. 

“Henry, Lizzie, Lillie, why don’t you come over here with me and give Regina and Robin a few minutes by themselves,” Emma suggested. The teenagers listened to Emma’s suggestion and headed further down the path in the forest. Robin, who still looked very much in shock, plopped himself down on a tree stump.His mind was swirling. Regina had another child. Why didn’t she tell him? How could she hide something like this? 

“Robin…please,” Regina began as she made her way over to where Robin was sitting. 

“How could you not tell me that you had another child?” 

“I-I didn’t tell anyone…aside from Emma, but that was only recently.” Regina stuttered. “I-I was only 18 when I had him.” 

“We talked about not keeping things from one other, Regina,” Robin snapped a bit harshly. “You’re supposed to be able to trust me.” 

“Robin-I-I,” Her eyes began to water. Damn these pregnancy hormones. She knew that Robin deserved the truth. They had promised to be honest with one another, but Elijah was something that she had never shared with anyone, other than Emma at the time she needed a friend the most. “I can’t do this,” she cried. She stood up from the tree stump and started to walk away. 

“Regina…don't do this. Just talk to me,” Robin begged as he chased after her and grabbed her hand. Her lower lip quivered as she fought back the tears and turned away from him. “I will always love you,” he assured her. “Nothing you can say to me will ever convince me otherwise.” 

“I-I can’t-“ 

“Yes, you can,” Robin whispered softly. 

“Fine…” Regina replied. She took a deep breath. “I found out that I was pregnant with Elijah about a month after marrying Snow’s father. I was depressed, miserable and grieving. Snow was constantly pestering me to be her perfect stepmother and Leopold was…well, you know my history with Leopold. I felt like a shell of a person, like no one would even notice if I just disappeared. I was going to do it…I had a plan to end it all. But then, I started to get sick every morning and I missed my period. I figured I had to be pregnant. At first, I was terrified. This was just another way for Leopold to cement his hold over me. However, I did some math and I realized that the baby couldn’t be Leopold’s. The timing just wasn’t right. The baby was Daniel’s. For the first time since his death, I felt like I could breathe again. I felt like there was a reason for me to still be on this Earth.” 

“And what happened to him?” Robin asked softly. 

“He died…before he even got a chance to live,” Regina replied. “He was stillborn at seven months.” 

“I’m sorry…” Robin said. “I just don’t understand why you’ve never said anything about him before. I know the pain that I felt when Marian died and the thought of carrying that grief around inside myself, unable to tell anyone, would have been unbearable.” 

“You know that I’m not the best at expressing my emotions to begin with…” Regina began. “Talking about…” She took a deep breath as she fought back the tears forming in the corners of her eyes. “Talking about him was just too much for me. The only reason that I shared the story with Emma was because she lost Hope. I never wanted someone to feel as alone as helpless as I did back then. I wanted to be there for her. Robin, I know that we need to find Scarlett, but I have never gotten to truly meet my son. I don’t know whether we can trust this Lillie girl or not. But, if she says that she knows where to find Elijah, I-I have to at least try and meet him.” 

“I want to give you this, love,” Robin began. “but I’m still worried about Scarlett. She could be in real danger. Taking any time away from trying to find her could put her life in more danger. Plus, we have two children at home who are waiting for us to return.” 

“I understand both of your points, but Robin, we don’t have any leads on how to find her. Lillie seems like she knows the Underworld fairly well. Maybe she can help us.” As much as Robin didn’t want to admit that she was right, he knew that Regina had a point. The locator potion had been their last hope and now, Scarlett’s necklace was gone. They had lost track of it during the gnome attack. They were at an impasse with no other leads to follow. 

“Fine,” Robin finally agreed. “We can go with her.” Before he could say another word, Regina flung herself into Robin’s arms. 

“Thank you,” she muttered sweetly into his ear. After composing herself for a moment, Regina and Robin rejoined Emma and the rest of the teenagers. 

“So, you’ll come with me?” Lillie asked. 

“Yes, I want to go and meet Elijah,” Regina replied. “Also, we need to find my daughter, Scarlett. She’s the one that we’re really down here looking for.” 

“Do you have a picture?” the teenager asked. Emma quickly pulled out her phone and pulled out the picture of Scarlett that she had thrown Demeter earlier. “Hmm…I’ve never seen her, but my mom or Eli might know. They’re pretty good at keeping tabs on people down here. Come on, let’s get going before it gets dark and those little gnome freaks come back.” After one encounter with the gnomes, the group wasn’t looking for another one and decided to follow Lillie as she led them through the forest. 

“So Lillie, where exactly are we going?” Regina asked. 

“To my house,” the girl replied. 

“Is it just you and your mom that live there?” Emma asked. 

“No, it’s full of people,” Lillie said. “It’s kind of like an orphanage. All of the kids who pass away before their parents live there. My mom’s kind of like their foster mother, so it’s kind of like I have a bunch of siblings, which is nice. I never got to have siblings during my time on Earth. My mom tells me that I had two sisters though.” 

“That’s really nice,” Henry replied. “I was an only child for most of my life and I can definitely say that having siblings is pretty awesome…most of the time anyway,” he added with a laugh.

“I have a little sister as well,” Lizzie said, chiming in. “She’s a pain in the butt, but I love that little girl to death. She’s my best friend.” 

“Eli is my best friend,” Lillie replied. “We’re only about a year apart so he’s been around for as long as I can remember. A lot of the kids choose to move out when they reach eighteen, but he never did. He loves the kids too much and me and mom, of course.” Hearing all these things that Lillie was saying about Elijah was warming Regina’s heart. She had always mourned for the life that he never got to live.Hearing that he had friends and someone who was like a mother to him made this whole experience a little bit easier, even if that mother wasn’t her. After they had been walking for a while, an old abandoned-looking house came into view. 

“Lillie, is that it?” Regina asked. 

“Yup!” the girl replied. “It’s not much, but it’s home.” The group followed Lillie up to the front door “Maybe, you should just come in first, Regina. He’s gonna be very surprised and I feel like this moment is kind of private.” 

“Umm, sure,” Regina replied. “Are you all good out here?” The group nodded. 

“Gone on, love, this is your moment,” Robin told her. Emma gave her a reassuring smile. She could see from the evident pain in Emma’s eyes that this moment was hard for her. Regina knew that Emma would give anything to see Hope just one more time.

“Alright, we’ll be out in just a little bit,” Regina added before following Lillie into the house. 

“Mom! Eli! You home?” Lillie called up the stairs. 

“Lillie! Hush! I just got the babies down for their naps!” came the voice of an older woman. They heard the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs and then, a blonde, middle-aged woman appeared. 

“Lillie, how many times have I told you about yelling when you come into this-“ Suddenly, the woman froze and her eyes grew wide. “Regina?” she asked. Almost instantly, Regina knew exactly who she was looking at. 

“Hannah?” Regina asked. A smile formed on the woman’s face as she raced across the kitchen and pulled Regina into her arms. Though she wasn’t fond of hugs, Regina felt herself melt into the woman’s embrace. Regina remembered Hannah’s kind smile and encouraging words from the night of Elijah’s birth many years ago. She remembered how she had been the only person to care for her during that time. However, Regina also remembered how cruel she had been to Hannah after Elijah’s death. After taking her memories, Hannah had stayed on as Regina’s lady’s maid for a few more months. However, looking at her was simply too much for Regina and she treated her pretty badly before firing her and having her removed from the castle. “Oh, Hannah…I-I don’t know- I-I’m sorry.” 

“Hey, it’s alright,” Hannah replied. 

“No, it’s not. I was awful to you,” Regina said. 

“You were grieving,” Hannah said. “And I understand why you had to take my memories.”

“So, you remember everything now?” 

“Yes, after you die, all the magic spells on you are reversed,” Hannah explained. “Believe me, I know how hard losing a child is. You have to do everything you can to cope.” 

“Well, it looks like you’ve finally found her,” Regina said before glancing over at Lillie.

“I sure have,” Hannah replied. “Not that I’m not excited to see you, but what are you doing here? Wait? Are you dead? What happened?” 

“No, no, I’m not dead,” Regina explained. “I’m looking for someone, my daughter, Scarlett.” 

“You have a daughter?” Hannah squealed. 

“Two actually,” Regina replied with a laugh. “And, I have two sons and two on the way.” 

“My goodness, you’ve been busy,” Hannah laughed. 

“They’re not all mine biologically, but they’re all mine in my heart,” Regina explained. 

“I get that,” Hannah said. “That’s how I feel about all of these children here. Oh, Regina, you’re going to love Elijah. He’s so kind and sweet.” 

“I’m sure he gets that from his father,” Regina answered. 

“And his mother,” Hannah interjected. “Don’t try to act tough around me. I know the real you.” 

“Alright,” Regina conceded. “Where is he? Where can I meet my son?” she asked. 

“He should be coming back any minute now. He took some of the older kids on a little hike, but it’s getting dark so they should be getting back soon,” Hannah replied. 

“Well, in the meantime, maybe we should bring the rest of the group inside,” Lillie interjected. “Like you said, it’s getting dark and it’s misty tonight so those gnomes are roaming about. I’ve already had to save them once tonight.” 

“Gosh, I hate those little freaks,” Hannah groaned. “But, of course, bring everyone inside. Who is…everyone though?” she asked as Lillie ran off to bring Robin, Emma, Henry and Lizzie inside. 

“My husband and eldest son are with me.Also, my friend Emma is here and-“ 

“Lizzie!” Hannah suddenly exclaimed, cutting Regina off. 

“Mom!” Lizzie exclaimed as she ran into her mother’s arms. 

“Oh my god, what are you doing here? Are you dead? Please tell me you’re not dead. Where is Rosie?” Hannah rambled. 

“I’m not dead,” Lizzie told her. “And, Rosie is fine. She’s with Demeter back in the Enchanted Forest. She’s safe.” 

“Okay…I am very confused.” Emma said as she looked between the two women. 

“I second that,” Lillie said, chiming in, a confused look on her face. 

“Lillie, this is your sister, Lizzie,” Hannah explained.The teen girl looked confused as she looked between her and her sister. She had heard about her sisters for years from her mother. After all these years to be looking at right at her…in the underworld…even though she wasn’t dead, was crazy.

“So, let me get this straight…” Regina said. “Lillie is the baby that you lost all those years ago and Lizzie and Rosie are also your daughters.” Hannah nodded. “Also, you’re the one who has been taking care of my son in the Underworld.” She nodded once more.

“This world is crazy small,” Henry retorted. “We’re literally all from different realms and still, all of our stories are intertwined.” 

“Small indeed, my boy,” Robin interjected as he clapped a hand on Henry’s shoulder. If he had learned anything since meeting Regina for the first time, it was to just go along with things because they rarely seemed to make sense anymore. 

“You must be Regina’s husband,” Hannah said. 

“That I am,” he replied. “I’m Robin Hood.” 

“Hannah, nice to meet you,” the woman replied as she extended the hand to Robin that wasn’t being used to embrace her younger daughter. As if on cue, they heard the front door open once more and a bunch of younger children came inside. They all wore confused looks on their faces as they looked at the strangers in their home. 

“Alright guys, everyone inside,” came a voice of an older teenage boy. He walked inside and Regina felt her heart stop. Elijah was the spitting image of Daniel. He had his chestnut colored hair and his crystal blue eyes. Upon seeing the group of strangers, Elijah stopped and looked to Hannah. “What’s going on?” he asked. 

“Elijah, I have someone very special here who wants to meet you,” Hannah began. Regina took a step forward towards the boy. 

“Hi, Elijah. I’m -“ 

Before she could get a word out Elijah spoke. “I know who you are.” 

“You-you do?” The boy nodded. 

“Hi, mom,” he said quietly before walking straight into her arms. Regina couldn’t hold back the tears and she brought her son into her embrace. She had waited for years to be able to do this. In this moment, she forgot about everything. She forgot about Scarlett and the babies growing inside of her. She was finally reunited with her son and that was all that mattered. 


	36. Lost and Found

After an emotional reunion, Regina and Elijah decided to head out to the front porch, so they could talk privately. “I-I don’t really know where to begin…” Regina said softly. 

“Yeah, this is kind of strange,” Elijah agreed. “It definitely wasn’t something I’d ever thought I’d get to do. I wished for it, but I never thought I’d be a reality.” 

“Do…do you remember anything?” Regina asked. It was a question that she had often wondered about but wasn’t sure if she was ready to hear the answer. Elijah’s birth and death had been so traumatic for her. Regina only wondered if it had been the same for her son. 

“Not much,” Elijah answered. “Just your voice.” 

“My voice?” 

“Yes, before I was born, I remember your singing,” he told her. “I remember it always lulled me to sleep.” 

“I remember,” Regina said with a smile. “You used to kick me so hard. Singing was the only thing that would get you to stop. You used to kick me so hard I thought I’d have bruises on my ribs.”There was an awkward silence between the two before Regina spoke again. “Can I ask about…about the day you died?” she asked. Elijah nodded. “Did you feel it? Were you in pain?” 

“I don’t really remember that day,” He told her. “It just kind of felt like I fell asleep and when I woke up, I was in the underworld.” Regina felt like she could take a breath now. Finally, after so many years, she was getting the answers that she had been wishing to know for years. 

“And was-was it my fault? Was it something I did? That spell to make myself sick? Was that it?” 

“No,” he replied as he grabbed his mother’s hand. “I got tangled up in my umbilical cord. I believe that I was dead far before you ever went into labor.” 

“So it wasn’t me not pushing well enough when you were breech?” she asked, tears running down her cheek. 

“No mom,” he replied sweetly. “You did everything that you possibly could to make sure I was safe. None of this was your fault. It was an accident.” Regina hunched over and began to sob. “It’s alright, mom. Didn’t you hear me? It wasn’t your fault.” 

“I’m fine,” she cried as she wiped her cheeks. “It’s just- for so many years, I blamed myself. I’m just so relieved to hear that you weren’t in pain and I didn’t cause you to die.” Elijah put a comforting hand on his mother’s back and she nestled into his embrace. It was strange to be comforted by the son, the baby, that she never got to comfort herself. When Regina’s sobs had quieted, she leaned away from Elijah and tried to compose herself. 

“Not that I’m not glad to see you Mom, but what are you doing down here?” 

“I’m actually looking for another one of my children. We think that she was kidnapped and taken down here. Her name is Scarlett and her birth mother is Persephone. It doesn’t really make sense to me. Hades is gone, so I don’t know who would want to kidnap her down here.” 

“I-I might have an idea, but we should talk to Hannah. She knows a lot more on the subject than I do,” Elijah replied as she stood up from the porch and extended a hand down to help his mother up. Regina gladly accepted the help before heading inside with Elijah. 

Back inside, Hannah, Lizzie, Emma, Robin, Henry, and Lillie were all sitting at the kitchen table. “So, Hannah, how do you know Regina again?” Robin asked. 

“Umm, I used to be her ladies maid before she fired me. We have a complicated history,” Hannah replied. 

“And, how did you get here?” Henry asked. 

“Here as in the Underworld or the orphanage?” Hannah asked. 

“Both I guess.” 

“Well, the Underworld is easy. I died,” she answered while she looked over at Lizzie who had gone silent. Hannah knew that day obviously brought up bad memories for her daughter so she didn’t want to dive too deep into the past.“The orphanage is a little more complex. When I got down here, I didn’t know what to do. I was lost, but Lillie found me. She brought me back to the orphanage and I just fell in love with the children here. I knew that for some strange reason, I was meant to be here and care for these children. It was like my destiny.” 

“How many children do you have here?” Emma asked. 

“It varies, but right now we have about thirty,” Hannah replied. As if on cue, one of the babies started to scream. “Sorry, that’s one of our new little ones. She’s got quite the distinct cry,” Hannah got up from the table and disappeared into the backroom to grab the baby. 

“How do you know who the baby belongs to when it comes down here?” Emma asked. 

“We don’t,” Lillie replied. “Not at first anyway. When they get older, they can recall some memories and they have a better chance of remembering who they came from. So a lot of the time, we give them names. This new little one that Hannah went to get is just the most beautiful baby girl. I’ve been calling her…” 

“Hope…” Emma exclaimed as she dropped the glass of water that she had been holding and it fell, shattering as it collided with the ground. As Hannah came back into the room, Emma felt her heart drop. She took one look at the baby girl in Hannah’s arms and she just knew. It was Hope. Though she had only looked at the little girl for a short time, she remembered every detail. She had Hook’s nose and her beautiful blonde hair and bright blue eyes. 

“That’s too funny,” Lillie replied. “How did you know?” Emma didn’t reply. She walked over to Hannah and the older woman could see the connection between Hope and Emma. After losing a baby herself, she knew exactly what the blonde was experiencing. 

“She’s perfect,” Hannah said. “Do you want to hold her?”Emma nodded immediately and Hannah placed the crying baby in her arms. Almost instantly, the baby quieted as stared up at Emma, completely wide eyed. Emma couldn’t believe this was happening.It was just like in the hospital, except a hundred times better. 

While Emma was standing there, Regina and Elijah came back into the house. Regina looked towards Emma, who was still holding Hope. 

“Emma? Is that-?” 

“It’s Hope,” Emma replied. “Can you believe it? I can’t believe I didn’t think about her being down here earlier.” 

“She’s a beautiful little girl,” Hannah interjected. “She’s the sweetest little thing, but she’s got quite a temper.” 

“Wonder where she gets that from?” Regina joked and Emma shot her a glare.

“I don’t want to break up this little reunion but I think that we have a bigger problem,” Elijah interjected. “Regina’s daughter, Scarlett…her birth mother is Persephone. I have a pretty good idea who might have kidnapped her, but I’m hoping I’m wrong.” He looked at Hannah. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” 

“God, I hope not…” Hannah muttered. 

“If you both know something, please tell us,” Robin said. “We really do need to find our daughter.” 

“Alright,” Hannah sighed. “There’s only one person I can think of that has a personal vendetta against Persephone. Mostly everyone down here loves her because she was the only one trying to bring anyone happiness while Hades was in power.” 

“Who is it?” Regina asked. 

“Her name is Megaera. She’s normally with her sisters Alecto and Tisiphone,” Hannah explained. “You may know them better as the Furies…and believe me, they are not the kind of women that you want to mess with it. If they are the ones who kidnapped your daughter, we have to get to her sooner rather than later. She could be in real danger.” 

“Then, we should get going? Do you know where to find them?” Robin asked as he got up from the table and started getting his things together. 

“Hang on,” Hannah interjected. “We can’t leave right now. It’s misty out and we won’t stand a chance against those little gnomes. Plus, the only place I can think of that the Furies would be isn’t easy to get to.” 

“And where would that be?” Regina asked. 

“It’s called Tartarus. It’s at the epicenter of the Underworld and is the most dangerous area down here,” she explained. 

“We’ve dealt with danger in the past. We’re not going to back down now,” Regina replied. “Scarlett’s my daughter and I’m going to get her back, no matter what it takes.” 

“I’m not saying don’t go. I’m just saying that you all should head out in the morning. It’s dangerous. You all look tired. Please, just stay the night.” Hannah begged. Emma, Robin, Regina and Henry all looked around at one another. There seemed to be a consensus between the four of them. 

“Fine, we’ll stay the night,” Regina answered. “but we leave bright and early tomorrow morning, no matter what.”

 

Across the Underworld, in a damp, dark cave, Scarlett was just beginning to wake up. After being kidnapped at the entrance of the cave, Scarlett had fought with all of her mite to get away, but in the end, the two men were too strong. She was thrown into a jail cell, where her head collided with the wall and she faded into the darkness as the men chained her up with shackles. It had been two days since then and Scarlett was just beginning to come to. She groaned as she tried to force her body off the cold, hard floor. Her body ached and there were bruises up and down her legs. The worst part was the throbbing headache that seemed to make permanent residence inside of her skull. Scarlett looked around as she tried to get her bearings. However, everything was so dark that she really couldn’t see anything. “Help!’ She called weakly. “Someone please help me!” 

Suddenly, Scarlett began to hear footsteps. Someone was coming. As the sound of the footsteps got closer, a light came with it. Scarlett squinted and tried to see who was coming. When the figure got closer, Scarlett felt herself breathe a sigh of relief. 

“Regina! You’re here. You’re really here to save me!” Scarlett said. The woman opened the cell door and walked inside. She undid Scarlett’s shackles and helped the little girl stand up. 

“We have to get out of here, right now. Follow me.” Scarlett didn’t waste a second. She grabbed Regina’s hand and followed her through the cave. 

“Regina, where are we going? How do you know how to get out of here?” Scarlett asked. 

“Just trust me. I know exactly where I’m going.” They walked for a little while longer until the tunnel that they were in opened up into a large cavern. In the center of it was a woman with wild, curly, red hair, shackled to the ground. She also had bruises and cuts all over her body. 

“My dear, Persephone, I do believe you have a visitor,” said a tall woman with dark, red eyes and red hair. “Alecto, my dear, thank you for bringing her,” she added, looking over to where Scarlett and the woman, who she had believed to be Regina, were standing. Scarlett looked behind her and Regina was nowhere to be found. Instead, a thin blonde woman with dark eyes and an evil looking smirk was in her place. “Persephone, did you hear me?” the red headed woman replied. “Take a look at who is here to see you.” When the shackled woman didn’t move, the red headed woman’s mouth curled up in a devilish smirk. 

“Tisiphone, give our friend here some encouragement,” she commanded as she looked over at a pale, black haired woman standing in the corner of the cave.The woman moved slowly over Persephone. When she reached the woman’s body, Tisiphone held a hand over her and simply smiled. Almost instantly, Persephone groaned in pain as her neck was snapped upward. Scarlett gasped when she saw the woman’s face. She’d know it anywhere. It was the same face that had comforted her when she was little. The face who had been a constant in her dreams. It was the face of her mother. 

When Persephone realized who her visitor was she gasped. For years she had dreamed of seeing her sweet little girl’s face again. However, this was not the reunion that she had been dreaming of. Persephone knew why the Furies had brought Scarlett here. They knew that the little girl was Persephone’s biggest weakness and if anything was going to break her…it was Scarlett. She knew that things were not going to get better. If anything, things were only going to get worse, much, much worse and this was only the beginning. 


End file.
